PRESCRIBING AND ASSESSING FOR ASTHMATIC PATIENTS AT GP PRACTICE
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Prescribing and Assessing for Asthmatic Patients at GP Practice
Reflective of a Child Suffering from Asthma
Assessing and managing asthma among children is a challenging task since incorrect assessment affects the quality of life of a child. Thus, reflecting on the entire process of diagnosing and prescribing medication to an asthmatic kid is a significant practice for a caregiver. The reflective process will be facilitated by the use of the Gibbs Reflective Cycle. The adoption of this reflective model is essential in enabling one to think systematically concerning an experience one had during a particular situation or event.
Description
Ralph, a 12-year-old boy, was brought to the hospital on an afternoon by his teacher after he experienced difficulty in breathing and chest pains. Ralph’s chest was also cold at the arrival time in the hospital. This necessitated my team and I to carry diagnostic tests meant to assess whether Ralph was suffering from asthma. I went ahead to ask Ralph whether he was still feeling chest pain. I also observed his breathing patterns by observing the movement of his ribs and neck during breathing. My workmate, Jenner, was also keen listening to the sounds made by Ralph when breathing. These were the first important indicators that one would check when assessing whether one is suffering from asthma or not.
Feelings
Initially, I felt nervous when Ralph was brought to us because of the tension and shock of his teacher. However, after getting the facts of the case, I felt confident because I had handled several others before. This enabled me to engage Ralph in a conversation and practices meant to assess his condition (Ortiz-Alvarez et al., 2012). Being sure of what I was doing prompted me to coordinate my team members in attending to Ralph. I also managed to calm Ralph’s teacher down by assuring him that the condition was not severe. After carrying out successful diagnostic tests and assessments on Ralph, I felt happy that Ralph was suffering from mild asthma. Looking back at the situation encourages me to first identify the condition that a patient is suffering from and get everything in control. My workmates were as well excited when we learned that Ralph was suffering from mild asthmatic attacks. The coordination and role-taking of my two coworkers facilitated this diagnosis, which was a win for us all. Consequentially, the event reinforced our cooperation and instant response to emergency cases.
Evaluation
The entire experience was successful because the diagnostic results were positive. After realizing that Ralph was suffering from mild asthma, he was given a dose of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) that assisted him to breathe appropriately and eased his chest pain (Suh et al., 2017). However, the initial encounter with the situation was not pleasing. The tension and anxiety of Ralph’s teacher, as well as Ralph’s condition, freaked and confused us. This got us panicking before we composed ourselves and took the initial assessments. I played a crucial role in conducting physical examination and assessing symptoms of asthma exhibited by Ralph. I engaged him in a conversation after observing the movement of his ribs and neck when breathing. My other coworkers also had significant input in identifying cold in Ralph’s chest and listening to the whistling sound when breathing.
Analysis
The event served a crucial role in shaping my future response to the children suffering from asthma. I learned that it is imperative for one to remain calm when nervous about a situation. Besides, I discovered that having the parents or teachers in control and assuring them that the situation is under control is paramount to avoiding further confusion during the treatment process. Teamwork also proved to be a significant aspect that one should utilize during emergency cases. Thus, effective coordination of a team is essential to instant response of an emergency in healthcare.
Conclusion
In a similar event, I would have sought the patient’s historical information about his current problem. I would have asked his parents to come and have a brief discussion with me to ensure that they respond effectively to the situation in the future. I learned that teamwork is an imperative practice in health care for an effective response to urgent situations. In future, I would do the same thing to achieve a positive outcome.
Action Plan
In a similar future case, I will ensure that the patient is calm as well as other parties involved so that I can get the facts of the case right. Such a move will allow me to gather all relevant facts about the conditions suffered by a patient. As a result, I will learn ways of calming and reducing the stress of those involved in the event. I will also learn about leadership skills so that I can efficiently manage and coordinate my coworkers.
Reflective of an Adult Suffering from Asthma
I encountered with Joy, a 23-year-old woman suffering from asthma since her childhood. Her best peak flow has always been 650l/min. Joy came to the hospital after experiencing persistent coughing over the past two days, which has necessitated her to use a salbutamol inhaler several times a day that it is prescribed.
Aesthetics
After engaging with Joy, I aimed at getting her medical history, symptoms, and carrying physical tests regarding asthma. I achieved these goals by inquiring the medical history of the patient and examining her throat, nose, and upper airways. I also used stethoscope to listen to her breathing. As a result, I learned that Joy was experiencing recurrent wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing which would worsen during the night. Joy was okay with these results, as she confirmed that she had experienced most of them over the past few days.
Personal
I felt confident and comfortable carrying out this assessment as I was conversant with such patients. I efficiently assessed the significant indicators of a severe asthma attack. The evaluation was successful because I relied on Joy’s knowledge of her health condition in answering diagnosing her case. The severity of her condition prompted me to carry additional tests such as a chest X-ray and blood tests to ensure that her current health is because of asthma.
Ethics
I conducted all required diagnostic tests to ensure that my treatment improves Joy’s health condition. This is because my goal was to do good by prescribing the effective medications that will not harm patients but aid them in recovering from their ailing conditions. Nevertheless, I engaged in an incongruent way by persuading Joy to take further tests different from those of asthma. Although Joy and I knew that she was asthmatic, I coerced her to take chest x-rays and blood tests to affirm that her current condition was because of asthma.
Empirics
Joy’s medical history clearly revealed that she has been asthmatic since her childhood. Besides, her current symptoms conformed to those of an asthmatic patient. Chest pain and difficulty in breathing are among the critical signs of asthmatic patients (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018). Further, the peak flow of a typical patient should range from 400 to 600l/min, while that of Joy was 650l/min.
Reflexivity
Both patients, Ralph and Joy, exhibited similar symptoms only that the severity of their signs was different. Ralph was suffering from slight asthma, while Joy was suffering from server one. Besides, chest pains and difficulty in breathing was common between the two patients. The experience I have amassed in both situations will enable me to handle such a situation in future more comfortable. In future, I will ensure that I assess the entire health conditions of a patient before settling on one condition. This will enable me to rule out other potential conditions with similar symptoms. Likewise, I will evaluate the triggering factors that have resulted in the deterioration of the health conditions of a patient like Joy who had her condition under medical control. I would also avoid coercing patients to take tests unwillingly. The impact of these alternative actions is that only the right illness will be treated. Besides, I will advise my clients accordingly on the dos and don’ts that will assist them control the health conditions.
This experience has been impactful by enlightening me on ways of approaching a situation from a diverse angle. I have discovered the essence of teamwork and patients’ input in their treatment process. As a result, I will support my fellow workmates as a way of facilitating the treatment process. Consequently, in the future, I will take a leadership-learning course meant to aid me in managing and coordinating my team. By taking this course, I will focus on improving my communication, management, and leadership skills required to solve uncertainty in workplace and enhance collaboration among workers.
Reference List
Mayo Clinic Staff. 2018. Asthma: Steps in testing and diagnosis. Mayoclinic. [Online] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asthma/in-depth/asthma/art-20045198. Accessed 27 October 2019.
Ortiz-Alvarez, O., Mikrogianakis, A., Canadian Paediatric Society and Acute Care Committee, 2012. Managing the paediatric patient with an acute asthma exacerbation. Paediatrics & Child Health, 17(5), pp.251-255.
Suh, D.I., Yang, H.J., Kim, B.S., Shin, Y.H., Lee, S.Y., Park, G., Kim, W.K., Kim, H.B., Baek, H., Kim, J.K. and Kim, J.T., 2017. Asthma severity and the controller prescription in children at 12 tertiary hospitals. Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research, 9(1), pp.52-60.
