As an advanced practice nurse, you will examine patients presenting with a variety of disorders. You must, therefore, understand how the body normally functions so that you can identify when it is reacting to changes.

Nursing: advanced pathophysiology | Nursing homework help.

Scenario 1: Jennifer is a 2-year-old female who presents with a fever of up to 103.2°F for the past 3 days. She is normally healthy and has no significant medical history. Her symptoms include fussiness, decreased appetite, and a sore throat. The physical examination reveals an acutely unwell appearance, hot and dry skin, slightly reddened tympanic membranes, erythematous throat with 4+ tonsils, diffuse exudates, and tender left anterior cervical nodes. Jennifer’s vital signs indicate a temperature of 102.8°F, a pulse of 128 beats per minute, and a respiratory rate of 24 beats per minute.

The pathophysiology of Jennifer’s symptoms is associated with an infection caused by group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus (GABHS), which is also known as streptococcal pharyngitis. The adaptive responses to this alteration include Jennifer’s elevated temperature, which indicates a fever, a common sign of an infection. The sore throat and tender cervical nodes also suggest the presence of an infection. Additionally, the increased pulse and respiratory rate may be due to increased metabolic demands associated with the fever.

Scenario 2: Jack is a 27-year-old male who presents with redness and irritation of his hands. He reports that he has never had this issue before and his hands feel “a little bit hot” but otherwise fine. He has no known allergies, but he works with abrasive solvents and chemicals as a maintenance engineer in a newspaper building. Jack often works without gloves and has been exposed to some of these cleaning fluids.

The pathophysiology of Jack’s symptoms is associated with contact dermatitis. Exposure to the irritants has caused skin inflammation, leading to redness and flakiness of his hands. The adaptive response to this alteration is the absence of discomfort, suggesting that Jack has not yet developed an immune response or hypersensitivity to the irritants.

Scenario 3: Martha is a 65-year-old woman who reports having trouble sleeping and occasionally feels like she has a “racing heartbeat.” She is losing her appetite and feels less hungry than usual. She has a medical history of hypertension that has been controlled with hydrochlorothiazide. Martha’s 87-year-old mother moved in with her a few years ago after falling down a flight of stairs and breaking her hip. Her recovery was difficult, and she now relies on Martha for assistance with activities of daily living. Martha reports that she is sleeping and eating less due to the increased demands of caring for her mother.

The pathophysiology of Martha’s symptoms is associated with anxiety and stress. The adaptive response to this alteration is the decrease in appetite and sleep. Anxiety and stress can lead to increased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, which can cause a decrease in appetite and sleep disturbances.

Mind Map:

Disorder: Streptococcal pharyngitis

Epidemiology: Common in school-aged children and young adults

Pathophysiology: Infection caused by group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus

Risk factors: Crowded living conditions, poor hygiene, close contact with an infected person

Clinical presentation: Sore throat, swollen and tender cervical lymph nodes, fever, and difficulty swallowing

Diagnosis: Throat culture or rapid antigen detection test

Adaptive responses: Fever, sore throat, and tender cervical lymph nodes

Note: Please keep in mind that this is only an example mind map and that there are various ways to create a mind map for a given disorder.