Compare and contrast your experiences with what the literature says. Did your site manage a hypertensive client similarly according to what the literature says?

Topic: pain management in physical therapy

My experience as a registered nurse working on the cardiac/telemetry unit at my institution has been immensely beneficial in helping me gain an understanding of how to effectively manage hypertensive clients. However, when comparing and contrasting my experiences with what is outlined in literature, I must admit that there are some discrepancies.

For example, one article I read stressed the importance of using evidence-based interventions such as lifestyle modifications, self-monitoring of blood pressure (SMBP), and medication adherence when managing hypertensive patients. While I do use these strategies consistently within my practice setting, I find that our institution’s protocols rely more heavily on the use of pharmacological interventions than those recommended by literature. Additionally, while literature calls for frequent monitoring of vital signs and laboratory values over the course of treatment to ensure safe control of blood pressure levels, our protocols have us primarily relying upon SMBP data to assess effectiveness.

Overall though, there is still a great deal in common between my clinical experiences and what is suggested by literature regarding hypertension management—namely utilizing both nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapies—so I am confident that we are providing our hypertensive clients with quality care.