Assignment Practicum Journal Entry: Reflect On A Patient ✓ Solved

Assignment Practicum Journal Entryreflect On A Patient Who Presente

Reflect on a patient who presented with gastrointestinal disorders during your practicum experience. Describe your experience in assessing and managing the patient and their family. Include details of your “aha” moment in identifying the patient’s disorder. Then, explain how the experience connected your classroom studies to the real-world clinical setting. If you did not have an opportunity to evaluate a patient with this background during the last 9 weeks, you may select a related case study from a reputable source or reflect on previous clinical experiences.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

During my recent practicum, I encountered a patient presenting with complex gastrointestinal symptoms that provided valuable insights into both clinical assessment and management. The patient, a 52-year-old woman, arrived with complaints of persistent abdominal pain, nausea, and occasional episodes of vomiting over the past three weeks. Her medical history revealed frequent episodes of acid reflux and a previous diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Initially, I focused on performing a comprehensive assessment, which included reviewing her medical history, conducting a physical examination, and ordering pertinent laboratory and imaging studies.

The physical examination revealed tenderness in the epigastric region, and laboratory results showed elevated liver enzymes. An abdominal ultrasound was ordered, which indicated the presence of gallstones and possible gallbladder inflammation. During the assessment, I considered differential diagnoses, including gallstones, peptic ulcer disease, and even malignancies. As I reviewed the patient's history and findings, I recognized the importance of a holistic approach to diagnosis, integrating both clinical reasoning and diagnostic data.

The “aha” moment occurred when I correlated the ultrasound findings with her symptomatology and previous medical history. The combination of gallstones observed on imaging, along with her symptoms, pointed toward cholelithiasis with a risk of developing cholecystitis. This moment underscored the importance of thorough assessment and the clinician’s role in synthesizing diverse data points to reach an accurate diagnosis. It also reinforced the significance of considering how underlying conditions, such as GERD, could influence presentation and management strategies.

In managing the patient, I observed the application of evidence-based guidelines. She was scheduled for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and I learned about preoperative counseling, pain management, and postoperative care. Managing her family involved educating them about the procedure, expected outcomes, and signs of complications. This experience highlighted the importance of family-centered care, especially in surgical interventions involving gastrointestinal organs.

This clinical encounter strengthened my connection between classroom knowledge and real-world practice. In class, I studied gastrointestinal physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology, which provided a foundation for understanding this patient’s condition. Applying this knowledge in the clinical setting demonstrated how theoretical concepts translate into patient care decisions. For example, understanding the pathogenesis of gallstones informed the rationale for surgical intervention. It also emphasized the importance of holistic care — considering physical, psychological, and educational needs of both patient and family.

This experience reaffirmed that clinical judgment develops through continuous assessment, observation, and reflection. It also emphasized the importance of communication skills, cultural competence, and interprofessional collaboration in managing complex cases. Overall, this case reinforced my commitment to developing comprehensive assessment skills and understanding the intricacies of gastrointestinal disorders in clinical practice.

References

• Cummings, J. H., & Wiggins, H. S. (2020). Gastrointestinal physiology and disease. Elsevier.
• Fitzgerald, J. C., & Williams, L. M. (2019). Managing gastrointestinal disorders. Nursing Clinics of North America, 54(3), 471–484.
• Johnson, D. E., & Russell, M. (2018). Gastrointestinal surgical interventions: A clinical guide. Springer Publishing.
• Lee, J. G., & Patel, S. (2021). Evidence-based management of gallstones. Journal of Surgical Research, 264, 212-220.
• McDonald, K. M., & Casarett, D. (2022). Patient education in gastrointestinal care. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 31(1-2), 102-110.
• Nielsen, S., & Roberts, K. (2017). Clinical assessment of patients with abdominal pain. Nursing Standard, 32(1), 48-55.
• Smith, R. E., & Garcia, R. (2020). The role of imaging in diagnosing gallbladder disease. Radiographics, 40(4), 1112-1131.
• Thompson, M., & Williams, A. (2019). Pathophysiology of gastrointestinal disorders. John Wiley & Sons.
• Wong, K., & Li, H. (2022). Family-partnered care in surgical interventions. Journal of Family Nursing, 28(2), 123-130.
• Zhang, Y., & Kim, S. (2018). Pharmacologic management of gallbladder disease. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 183, 124-136.