Question

Case scenario: Patient: Mr. Kim, 65 y/o rushed to ER Dept. and diagnosed with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) with difficulty of breathing, BP-100/70. T-38, HR-105, RR-27/min. Use the Maslow Theory into Nursing Practice. Below is your guide to follow.

Maslow and Nursing

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-Nurses should prioritize care for their patient(s) based on this model
-Meet physiological needs first
Patient becomes winded during conversation – stop conversation (love/belonging needs) and focus on O2 status (physiologic needs)
-Encourage Safety Needs
Observe safety in your patients room
Encourage patient to engage in safe behavior
-Love and Belonging Needs
Build Rapport
Encourage Family Support
As long as the presence of family is healthy and positive
-Self-esteem needs
Meet this through therapy
Encourage Success
-Self-Actualization Needs
Focus on long term goals
Rehabilitation and return to home

Answer 1

Based on the Maslow Theory the nurse can prioritize the patient care of a COPD patient in the following ways

Physiological needs

• Administer oxygen via nasal cannula to relieve difficulty of breathing
• Administer analgesics and antibiotics to reduce the fever. This could be probably because of secretions in the lungs causing infection.
• Administer bronchodilator , nebulisation as per order to relieve dyspnea and maintain normal respiratory pattern
• Encourage the patient not to engage in aggressive conversation which can trigger the symptoms
• Monitor the oxygen saturation

Safety needs

• Administer oxygen at 1-2 L / minutes because excess oxygenation can be fatal
• Provide all the required things next to the patient or within reach .This will minimise the patient to move out of bed unnecessarily until stable and prevent any accidents .
• Ensure a caregiver or relative or an attendee is with the patient all time. If not place the patient in the observable point in the unit .
• Provide call bell to patient to call for help

Love and belongings

• Include family in the plan of care
• Provide patient centric care
• Health educate about the disease condition and the management
• Family therapy can be provided
• Provide psychological support
• Provide cultural competent care

Self esteem

• Provide optimistic approach to boost patient confidence and hope up well with the illness
• Provide the liberty ,autonomy to express their requirements and fulfil it
• Treat the patient with respect and dignity.

Self actualization

• The patient is aware of the health condition and its management