NR 509 Week 3 iHuman Virtual Patient Encounter – HEENT Assessment (Graded)

Sample Answer for NR 509 Week 3 iHuman Virtual Patient Encounter – HEENT Assessment (Graded)

In the NR 509 Week 3 iHuman Virtual Patient Encounter – HEENT Assessment (Graded) encounter, if Jenna A. James, a 23-year-old college student with a sore throat, headache, enlarged lymph nodes, and fever, were uninsured, her treatment plan would need to be changed. A specialized strategy is needed to protect the patient’s health due to her lack of insurance coverage.

As a conscientious healthcare professional, I would mention the patient’s uninsured status. Addressing her financial concerns and assuring her that we will find the most affordable and suitable medical solutions is crucial. Early treatment is essential since her symptoms may be infectious.

We would prioritize diagnostic testing to save money. We may skip non-urgent diagnostics like the Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Test (RIDT) and Rapid Strep Antigen Detection Test (RST/RADT) to conserve money. We would make decisions using clinical evaluation, patient history, and physical examination. Doctors can better diagnose and treat patients by questioning their histories in a precise sequence (Peart).

Generic acetaminophen is a cheap OTC painkiller. We suggest low-cost clinics or community health centers for uninsured patients. According to Chow et al., patient assistance programs and medication discounts would help lower treatment expenses.

Treatment requires patient education. We would emphasize the necessity of following recommended treatments and drug regimes to minimize problems and excessive healthcare costs. Home care and self-management enable patients to participate in their recovery (Dineen-Griffin et al.). Furthermore, we will also Modify follow-up care for uninsured patients. We would provide clear instructions on when to seek medical help if her symptoms increase and be available for telemedicine or phone follow-ups to track her improvement.

Thus, maintaining Week 3 virtual patient Jenna A. James from NR 509 Week 3 iHuman Virtual Patient Encounter – HEENT Assessment (Graded) without insurance needs compassion and resourcefulness. We can address her medical requirements while reducing costs by prioritizing key diagnostic tests, offering cost-effective treatment alternatives, and promoting patient education. Working with patients to discover inexpensive solutions and communicate will build trust and increase results and patient satisfaction.

Works Cited for NR 509 Week 3 iHuman Virtual Patient Encounter – HEENT Assessment (Graded)

Chow, Nathan, et al. “Cost Savings Analysis of Prescription Assistance Programs at a Student-Run Free Clinic.” Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, Jan. 2022, pp. 1–3, https://doi.org/10.1080/08998280.2021.2022064

Dineen-Griffin, Sarah, et al. “Helping Patients Help Themselves: A Systematic Review of Self-Management Support Strategies in Primary Health Care Practice.” PLOS ONE, edited by Christophe Leroyer, vol. 14, no. 8, Aug. 2019, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220116.

Peart, Priscilla. “Clinical History Taking.” Clinics in Integrated Care, vol. 10, no. 1, Jan. 2022, p. 100088, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intcar.2021.100088.

NR 509 Week 4 Discussion Client Challenges

This scenario is located in a busy primary care office in a racially diverse area of a large city. The schedule is full today for a newly employed nurse practitioner. Just after lunch she is expecting S.S. to come in to establish care as a new patient. According to the schedule he has multiple comorbidities that will need to be addressed. The medical assistant has not come back from lunch and the NP does not want to fall behind. She goes to the waiting room to bring the patient back herself. At first glance she notices that the patient seems uneasy, glaring at other people in the waiting room from other ethnic backgrounds.  As she brings the patient toward the back office the patient seems disgruntled and makes several derogatory and racially insensitive comments.  This makes the NP feel uneasy. As she begins the appointment the patient implies concern over her competence based on her ethnicity. 

Racist challenging behavior has a negative impact on the provider and client relationships. This creates a hostile environment for other patients in the waiting room and for the NP. The NP may feel offended and  angry while it is often expected of healthcare workers to remain courteous to the patient (Chary, Fofana & Kohli, 2021). This can make it a challenge to provide the best or effective care. Mutual respect is the foundation of a good relationship between provider and patient (Xue & Heffernan, 2021). The patient may not follow the advice he receives at this appointment even if it is in his best interest. It may make other patients in the waiting room feel uncomfortable and decide to get care elsewhere. 

To enhance communication the NP should calm but assertive to end the racist remarks. The racist behavior should not be ignored. The NP can firmly but calmly tell the patient, “I am doing my best to take great care of you. Please be respectful and refrain from making racist statements (Chary, Fofana & Kohli, 2021).”  Should the patient continue the challenging behavior despite the NP creating a boundary a supervisor may need to become involved in the situation.  However, in this scenario the patient agrees to the NPs request and continues the appointment.  In this situation the communication technique of active listening will be especially important as the NP may have a tendency to be thinking of the racist encounter or what other racist remarks the patient may make. Active listening is necessary to gather all the information in order to to make the best clinical recommendations. 

A sample of a note that could be included in the chart could be: 

At the onset of the visit S.S. verbalized racially insensitive comments to other patients in the waiting room and to the provider. The NP addressed this behavior instructing the patient to refrain from making racist remarks and emphasized the need to maintain a culture of mutual respect. The NP was able to listen to the patient despite the challenging encounter and provide appropriate medical care and provide a patient centered plan of care. 

References 

Chary, A. N., Fofana, M. O., & Kohli, H. S. (2021). Racial discrimination from patients: institutional strategies to establish respectful emergency department environments. The western journal of emergency medicine, 22(4), 898–902. https://doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2021.3.51582Links to an external site. 

Xue, & Heffernan, C. (2021). Therapeutic communication within the nurse–patient relationship: A concept analysis. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 27(6), e12938–n/a. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12938