Gastrointestinal Nurse Career Guide and Counseling

Question: nursing project need information from different cultures? My final paper in my nursing class, the last part I have to interview someone representing a different culture than my own ( white/american) to determine how they respond to an illness. If you can do this plese answer the following questions: (a) how the person views and responds to illness and (b) what primary prevention activites are used to maintain health - what home remedies they use for the common illness, suchs as cold, flu and gastrointestinal upset. IF ANYONE CAN HELP it would be awesome.

Answer: I am a mixed race(multi-racial) female, from Britain, now living in Canada. A) When I am ill, I try my best to take care of it myself, before going to the doctor, because I do not trust doctors and have been and seen people in my family have bad experiences. Unfortunately, doctors/nurses categorize mixed people with whatever non-white background they have and that is what they end up calling us. Which is not fair. If mixed people are to be assessed accurately, then we should be looked at as a whole person, and screened or assessed based on our actual racial makeup, not what they WANT to referr to us as. Thats why I don't bother going to doctors, they are not diagnosing us properly, therefore we are not getting the proper treatment. B) Depending on what is wrong with me, Sore throat, I use warm salt water to rinse my throat. Also, warm lemon drink, you can buy them in the store. Taking vitamin C tablets, Advil and rest. Other than that, I would only use the health care system if it was an emergency or I know I would die.

Question: Why is the weight loss drug Xenical not used for nursing mothers if it is not absorbed? Since it is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, that means it does not appear in breast milk. If you take breaks from the drug during which you take supplements of fat-soluble vitamins won't that be ok? What exactly is the risk to the baby if you take it to shed weight put on during pregnancy?

Answer: It is not known if orlistat is secreted in human milk. Therefore, it should not be taken by nursing women. Althought slight, a small amount of the drug is absorbed; therefore the caution to avoid it if nursing. There are many safer ways to lose weight that won't expose your child to any drugs. Unfortunately, there are no magic pills to lose weight. Exercise and lifestyle changes are the only proven and safe ways. Hope this helps. Rick the Pharmacist

Question: what nursing care does a 24 week old fetus require? Describe the various body systems in the preterm infant of 24 weeks and over and how it influences their ability to cope with extrauterine life?specifically,respiratory;cardiovasc… dn reactivity and behaioural states..any help really appreciated...I've been an ER/flight nurse and paramedic for 30 years and am preparing to emigrate and need to complete some extra OBGYN courses...which are doing my head in....I've bought 13 books incl the 2 resommended texts but just cant find the answers to some of the questions...and cos I'm still working in ER,nobody here knows!! This is a technical question and I am looking for the technical and non-obvious answers probably from an NICU RN or MD,related to the really very specific developemental states of the (just viable) 24 week old fetus/infant. -hopefully looking for a site or book or journal article that describes the various body systems and their ability to cope with extrauterine life- specifically the respiratory ;cardiovascular;GI;immunologic;renal;;he… ...Thank you for your help if you can offer any

Answer: OK-> the lungs of the premature infant are collapsed at the start since they have not yet used oxygen , they are also stiff, and do not produce enough surfactant thus cannot facilitate breathing. Usually corticosteroid medication are given to help prepare the fetus's lungs prior to birth. Such treatment is the most effective and least risky intervention available for improving the infant's chances of surviving a premature birth between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation. Because the lungs interact closely with the heart and the kidneys, problems in one organ system can cause problems in the other. What goes on in the heart of a neonate has an effect on respiration. (Normally, the neonate's heart has shunts between pulmonary and systemic circulation, and when an infant is born at the normal time, or close to it, those shunts begin to close with the first breaths, and this closing process is completed at about 2 months of age. A 24-week neonate needs artificial respiration, and under artificial respiration those shunts might not close like they are supposed to. The problem that results from this is that oxygenated and deoxygenated blood mix in the infant's heart, less oxygenated blood goes out to the body than should be bringing up problems to the rest of the body systems. A premature newborn is at risk of complications when many of the organs-especially the heart and lungs-are not ready to function on their own after birth. The less mature an infant is at birth, the greater the risk of serious medical complications. The nursing care required for a 24 week old infant would generally follow the care of a premature newborn, though a 24 week old needs more extra care as they are more fragile and are more risky and has high mortality rate. Check the attached link for your reference, it includes nursing management and nursing diagnosis of a premature infant, and respiratory care. http://www.abac.edu/nursing/tdennis/nurs… http://www.sunysb.edu/healthed/premature… You may also search by entering premature infant and you will get various results. Good luck!

Question: Hospital case study - Finding it hard please help. Thank you in advanced? A woman with a medical history of epilepsy was hospitalised and commenced on IV fluids for gastrointestinal complications. A jejunostomy was performed to facilitate feeding and administration of oral medications including oral liquid phenytoin. Complications developed and the patient was commenced on total parenteral nutrition. Her orders were changed to IV orders. About two weeks later a nurse who had previously administered oral medications to the patient prepared two IV medications and had these checked. The nurse then obtained the oral phenytoin liquid, measured 5mL into a cup and then drew it into a syringe. She administered the medications to the patient including the oral phenytoin liquid via central venous catheter (CVC). The patient complained of pain at the injection site and commenced dry retching before losing consciousness. Staff commenced resuscitation but the woman could not be revived. What you think might be contributing factors to error? Preventions for error?

Answer: As the previous poster indicated, an oral medication was injected into the blood stream. Oral medications are meant to be absorbed into the blood via the gastrointestinal tract. So the nurse must have thought she/he was injecting into the j-tube.Contributing factors to the error are (1) human error, perhaps also a lack of knowledge to differentiate between a medication intended for a j-tube vs. CVC, (2) and failure to verify the route/dose that was ordered. Errors like this can be hopefully prevented by closer attention to detail when administering medications.

Question: Nursing assessment? I need to know the assesment that nurses do from head-to-toe. These includes: supplies needed, physical preparation, pre-assesment communication w/patient, head/hair/nails, eyes, ears, nose, throat, and mouth Body system: Integumentary, Respiratory/Lungs, Cardiovascular, abdominal/gastrointestinal, lymphatic, musculoskeletal/extremities, neurological, Thoracic: struchture/Front/Back, Post procedure: documentation, clean-up, speaking w/patient, and a report to physician. May the best answer win................

Answer: Im a nurse, and I could answer that lot (asking rather a lot I thought!), but why not look it up and you will learn much more than by me or anyone else telling you...;

Question: Rewording this question regarding my Boston Terrier!? My 5 year old Mother Boston Terrier died yesterday of possibly a Gastrointestinal problem, maybe from the bad dog food, but I'm not sure. She gave birth to (5) very healthy puppies 4 days ago. They were able to nurse from her for 3.5 days. I am feeding them "ESBILAC" recommended from Pets Mart every 2 hours. If anyone in the Dothan, Alabama area has a lactating female of any breed, please contact me on here suzanne_celec@yahoo.com or suzannecelec @hotmail.com I would like to try and see if she would surrogate some of her milk to them. Thank You All for your help and suggestions for me at this very sad time for me! Suzanne

Answer: I am sorry for your loss! This is a wonderful thing to search for!! I hope that you find a ***** to raise that litter. I took 2 pups at Christmas because that ***** was very ill and could not feed them, I had a litter born the same day as those pups and raised them with my litter. Try looking up the different breed clubs in your area for breeders. I hope that you find one. A friend of mine raised 3 Dachshunds with a German Shepherd female that she had a while back. Good for you. Good luck with the babies.

Question: how aspirin ingestion can prevent cancer? The client tells the nurse that he has heard that taking an aspirin each day can help prevent cancer. He asks the nurse how aspirin ingestion can prevent cancer. What is the nurse's best response? a. Aspirin is an antioxidant that can prevent the formation of carcinogens during metabolism of food. b. Aspirin has been found to suppress the activity of known carcinogens that are ingested as food. c. The area of the gastrointestinal tract that absorbs aspirin is the same place where carcinogens are absorbed. Aspirin displaces carcinogens from the absorption site. d. Aspirin increases the rate at which foods move through the intestinal tract, so there is less time for carcinogens to come into contact with body organs.

Answer: the best response is E. none of the above, because none of those things are true or would prevent cancer. If aspirin reduces the rate of cancer development in people taking a single aspirin daily it certainly is not due to any of the answers proposed above. If such a mechanism were true, and I'm not sure the research proves this to definitely be true, then it would probably be due to aspirin's anti-inflammatory properties. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/aspir…

Question: Morphine + tranquilizer effects? Long story short, I was at a hospital where I was having a nervous breakdown over a painful gastrointestinal problem. I thought I was dying and had not slept in 2 days. A nurse hooked me up to an IV and give me morphine and another drug she said would help me sleep. What was the drug she used to sedate me? The effects were pronounced. Let me share my experience... I'm not sure if it was when the tranquilizer or morphine was administered, but I remember my neck giving way and head falling rapidly against my pillow. I don't think I lost consciousness, but I'm not sure. I felt that I was awake, but I could barely keep my eyes open. I was positioned in a hallway and I was amazed at how the chaotic ER department was able to turn into a peaceful wonderland. Everybody seemed like they were going in slow motion, objects looked super clear, and depth of field was extended (i.e. the hallway appeared longer than it actually was). People going by seemed to be smiling at me and there seemed to be a connectivity and warmth between others as they went about their business. I had no previous experience with opiates. Are these mostly the effects of morphine or the tranquilizer - or the combined effect of both? Thanks.

Answer: ketamine maybe?

Question: Dieticians - Internists - Is kwashiorkor a possible symptom of our poor diet - too much white flour / corn syr? I think many Americans are starving themselves because of their daily reliance on white flour for sustenance, whether rich or poor. Does white flour inhibit good digestion of other more protein rich foods? (Look at all the protruding bellies.) I'm looking at something that indicated that in a report as follows: "Conditions listing Kwashiorkor as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Kwashiorkor. Our database lists the following as having Kwashiorkor as a symptom of that condition: Alcoholism Amphetamine abuse Amyloidosis AL Anorexia Nervosa Blind loop syndrome Boyd-Stearns syndrome Brinton disease Classic galactosemia Cocaine fetopathy Congenital short bowel Congenital sucrose-isomaltose malabsorption Cutaneous photosensitivity colitis, lethal Cystic Fibrosis Epidermolysis bullosa, junctional Finnish nephrosis syndrome Follicular hamartoma - alopecia - cystic fibrosis Gastrointestinal amyloidosis Hereditary amyloidosis Hyperemesis Gravidarum Intestinal epithelial dysplasia Intractable diarrhea with enterocytes assembly abnormalities, congenital, familial Juvenile tropical pancreatitis syndrome Microsporidiosis Obal syndrome Opisthorchiasis Pancreatic insufficiency Pancreatic Islet Cell Cancer Patau syndrome Sandifer syndrome Self Harm Short Bowel Syndrome TopDrug interactions causing Kwashiorkor: When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Kwashiorkor as a symptom. The list below is incomplete and various other drugs or substances may cause your symptoms. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments. Chloramphenicol and Acetaminophen interaction more interactions...» Read more about medication causes of Kwashiorkor TopMedical news summaries relating to Kwashiorkor: The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Kwashiorkor: Celiac disease more common than thought Commonly confused celiac disease Hyperemesis symptoms similar to morning sickness Operation options for obesity Prevention of osteoporosis in cystic fibrosis TopRelated information on causes of Kwashiorkor: As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Kwashiorkor may be found in: Risk factors for Kwashiorkor Hidden causes of Kwashiorkor TopCauses of Kwashiorkor: Online Medical Books 16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Kwashiorkor. Protein-calorie malnutrition: Causes and incidence (Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)) Both kwashiorkor (edematous PCM) and marasmus (nonedematous PCM) are common in underdeveloped countries and in areas in which dietary amino acid content is insufficient to satisfy growth requirements. Kwashiorkor typically occurs at about age 1, after infants are weaned from breast milk to a protein-deficient diet of starchy gruels or sugar water, but it can develop at any time during the formative years. Marasmus affects infants ages 6 to 18 months as a result of breast-feeding failure, or a debilitating condition such as chronic diarrhea. In industrialized countries, PCM may occur secondary to chronic metabolic disease that decreases protein and calorie intake or absorption, or trauma that increases protein and calorie requirements. In the United States, PCM is estimated to occur to some extent in 50% of elderly people in nursing homes. Those who aren’t allowed anything by mouth for an extended period are at high risk of developing PCM. Conditions that increase protein-calorie requirements include severe burns and injuries, systemic infections, and cancer (accounts for the largest group of hospitalized patients with PCM). Conditions that cause defective utilization of nutrients include malabsorption syndrome, short-bowel syndrome, and Crohn’s disease. Protein-calorie malnutrition: Causes (Handbook of Diseases) Both marasmus (nonedematous protein-calorie malnutrition) and kwashiorkor (edematous protein-calorie malnutrition) are common in underdeveloped countries and in areas where dietary amino acid content is insufficient to satisfy growth requirements. Kwashiorkor typically occurs at about age 1, after infants are weaned from breast milk to a protein-deficient diet of starchy gruels or sugar water, but it can develop at any time during the formative years. Marasmus affects infants ages 6 to 18 months as a result of breast-feeding failure or a debilitating condition such as chronic diarrhea. In industrialized countries, protein-calorie malnutrition may occur secondary to chronic metabolic disease that decreases protein and calorie intake or absorption or trauma that increases protein a

Answer: Interesting read and yes, you have a valid point there. I believe when manufactures add or take products out to produce a longer shelf life, we become unwittingly victims. I also will state that man's desire to consume these products in large quantities also makes a statement to how well they care about their own bodies and therefore allowing them to become the blimps, encourage laziness and less outgoing as a person. I find these chemicals are foreign to the human body and instead of helping ones digestion, actually does the opposite. It promotes build up and therefore a blockage to the body operating normally. There is where the many problems of the body lies in wait for us. Some times quicker then we ever could realize. It is sad that many of these traits are passed on during breast feeding and actual Development inside a mother's womb. However i wonder if this wasn't all a design by human engineering to cause a decrease in the human population or is it just a consequence of a "on Demand" society. I learned a lot about nutritional values when i searched out about diets for myself. There are some products now that i will never eat again Great question and deserving my further attention as well as others.

Question: Hospital case study - Finding it hard please help. Thank you in advanced? A woman with a medical history of epilepsy was hospitalised and commenced on IV fluids for gastrointestinal complications. A jejunostomy was performed to facilitate feeding and administration of oral medications including oral liquid phenytoin. Complications developed and the patient was commenced on total parenteral nutrition. Her orders were changed to IV orders. About two weeks later a nurse who had previously administered oral medications to the patient prepared two IV medications and had these checked. The nurse then obtained the oral phenytoin liquid, measured 5mL into a cup and then drew it into a syringe. She administered the medications to the patient including the oral phenytoin liquid via central venous catheter (CVC). The patient complained of pain at the injection site and commenced dry retching before losing consciousness. Staff commenced resuscitation but the woman could not be revived. What you think might be contributing factors to error? Preventions for error?

Answer: OK, so what's the deal? First off, you NEVER pour an IV med into a (UNSTERILE) cup to draw up into a needle. It would be in a container prepared for needle withdrawal like a vial. MUST BE STERILE! The hospitals I am familiar with would prepare these medications in a pharmacy setting in IV piggy back bags ready to administer. The rule of giving medications to prevent errors is the FIVE RIGHTS.You always go over them as you prepare to give a med to any patient. Right Patient, Right Medication, Right Dose, Right Route, Right Time. This would not happen as you present this issue. I can't imagine any licensed person doing this. Maybe that is why the average age of nurses in America is 47. It is serious business! It is hard work. It is why you need someone strong and brave and who will ask questions with you to run interference if you go to a hospital.