Critical thinking:mild to severe symptoms

[lab211]

Our textbook(it seems to me) does not clearly describe the progression from mild symptoms to severe (fatal) symptoms of a disease or condition.

For example, the treatment for a mild or early stage disease (i.e. venous thrombosis) versus how you will treat the latter stage of the

disease.Also the rationale behind the treatment. What I am trying to say is, chronic stage versus the acute stage nursing interventions.

I am trying to sort this out as I study each disease or condition, nurse's diagnosis, their interventions and rationales for each intervention.

I understand that nurses treat the defining characteristics (signs/symptoms), the as evidence by.....(which is part of your nursing

diagnosis sentence.

I have been taking most of my notes from the Lemone textbook. I think

it is well organized, easy to read; however, the text doesn't describe

completely what nurses need to do at different stages of the disease.

Maybe I am missing it as I read through this text?

I would appreciate any guidance or resources addressing my inquiries.

thanks

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

hi, lab211. . .it's been a while since you've posted!

the symptoms of a disease proceed based upon how the anatomy and physiology are breaking down. initially, the early symptoms are subtle/mild and as the anatomical/physiological pathology proceeds, the symptoms get worse. so, inherent in this is knowing the pathophysiology of the disease. each component of the pathophysiology produces a symptom. the doctor and nurse focus their treatment on the symptom(s) as they present themselves. sometimes the doctors can aim their treatment at the cause of the disease, but for the most part they are targeting the individual symptoms. some books that i have that list symptoms of diseases in order of their appearance are

• saunders comprehensive review for the nclex-rn examination, 3rd edition, by linda anne silvestri
  
• pathophysiology: a 2-in-1 reference for nurses by springhouse, springhouse publishing company staff
  
• nurse's 5-minute clinical consult: diseases from lippincott williams & wilkins.

you can also use my critical thinking flow sheet for nursing students which is attached to the end of this post to help you organize your critical thinking on this for individual medical diagnoses. if you can't open and download it let me know and i'll e-mail it to you.

[lil' girl, LPN]

hi, lab211. . .it's been a while since you've posted!

the symptoms of a disease proceed based upon how the anatomy and physiology are breaking down. initially, the early symptoms are subtle/mild and as the anatomical/physiological pathology proceeds, the symptoms get worse. so, inherent in this is knowing the pathophysiology of the disease. each component of the pathophysiology produces a symptom. the doctor and nurse focus their treatment on the symptom(s) as they present themselves. sometimes the doctors can aim their treatment at the cause of the disease, but for the most part they are targeting the individual symptoms. some books that i have that list symptoms of diseases in order of their appearance are

• saunders comprehensive review for the nclex-rn examination, 3rd edition, by linda anne silvestri
  
• pathophysiology: a 2-in-1 reference for nurses by springhouse, springhouse publishing company staff
  
• nurse's 5-minute clinical consult: diseases from lippincott williams & wilkins.

you can also use my critical thinking flow sheet for nursing students which is attached to the end of this post to help you organize your critical thinking on this for individual medical diagnoses. if you can't open and download it let me know and i'll e-mail it to you.

great answer!