Medical treatment is the most important part of a nurse practitioner’s work. Providing assistance to patients and devising the best course of action for any particular situation is crucial when another person’s well-being is at stake. The process, however, can be especially challenging when attempting to help people without a home (Maness & Khan, 2014). Homeless people comprise a special class of people in the United States, and a nurse practitioner should be even more considerate than usual when working with them. This paper will be conducting a homeless patient evaluation using a specific situation as an example.
Lack of Insurance and Treatment of Homeless People
In the presented situation, a need to treat a homeless person without insurance exists. The man has been experiencing a heightened temperature, fatigue, and an alarming level of abdominal pain for at least 3 days. The seriousness of the person’s condition warrants serious and immediate attention. The best course of action for the nurse practitioner would be to refer him to a nearby hospital, regardless of his lack of insurance. Preferably, a nurse should offer the man shelter for the time being, as making him leave is very dangerous. Clinics and hospitals are obligated to treat homeless people regardless of whether they have insurance or not. Without such action, the patient’s condition is likely to drastically worsen, as they do not have sufficient means of self-support (Maness & Khan, 2014). A nurse must convince the homeless man to be hospitalized and tested further.
Why Can’t the Patient’s Condition be Managed Outside of the Hospital
During the process of communicating with the patient, they might ask why their illness can only be treated at a hospital. In such case, the nursing professional must try to explain the severity of the situation to the patient and explain the details of his potential condition. For this particular man, health management outside of the hospital is questionable, as he might not be able to find shelter. Being left in the streets is likely to exacebrate his temperature and weaken his body, with no other people to monitor his condition or provide assistance. The person’s current living conditions are not sufficient for effectively managing his condition.
How Will the Severity of Pancreatitis be Accessed and Other Tests at the Hospital Performed?
Since the patient is presumed to have pancreatitis, tests to determine whether he has the condition should be performed. Blood tests to measure the levels of pancreatic enzymes and stool tests to determine the levels of fat are the primary step in understanding the patient’s condition (Mayo Clinic, 2020). The latter may help in diagnosing chronic pancreatitis. Another set of tests that are worth performing would be a tomography, an abdominal ultrasound, and an MRI (Mayo Clinic, 2020). The first would be effective in accessing the extent of inflammation, the second in detecting blockages in the pancreatic and bile duct. The MRI would assist in looking for abnormalities. Any other tests can be performed depending on the particular situation.
Managing the Patient’s Condition and Offering Advice
Pancreatitis is a serious condition that demands immediate hospital treatment. Initial methods of treatment in the hospital include: fasting to balance one’s diet, prescribing pain medication, and IV injection of fluids. After the patient’s condition has been stabilized, a number of surgeries may be necessary to remove the underlying cause of the illness (Banks et al., 2010). When all of the necessary procedures to ensure the patient’s well-being are performed, advice should be provided to the man to help him manage the condition. In the case of pancreatitis, this would include changing the diet to have more low-fat food and using medication to control the abdominal pain.
References
Mayo Clinic. (2020). Pancreatitis.
Maness D., & Khan M. (2014). Care of the homeless: An overview. Am Fam Physician. 89(8), 634-640. Web.
Banks P., Conwell D & Toskes P. (2010). The management of acute and chronic pancreatitis. Gastroenterology & hepatology, 6(2 Suppl 3),1-16.