needs help with nursing assessment on this scenario please ..thank u

[Thinkabel]

names in this scenario are pseudonyms

Mrs DAY is a 58 year old married woman with 2 adult children. She has a part-time teacher in a school, but spends a large part of each day looking after her elderly mother who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and is unable to move around. Her husband is a bus driver and both her children are at university.

Mrs DAY was diagnosed with cancer of the left breast 4 years ago for which she had surgery with axillary clearance. Adjuvant radiotherapy was also given. At this time 4 axillary nodes were found to contain cancer and Mrs DAY was prescribed 4 courses of epirubicin and CMF chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil) and subsequently tamoxifen 20 mg which she has been taking ever since. She was feeling well until a few weeks ago, when she experienced pain in her back; this has since increased in intensity. Her husband took her to see her GP and after a physical examination decided to refer Mrs DAY to the hospital.

On arrival to the hospital, Mrs DAY was seen by the physician in the A/E department who decided to admit her for investigations. A bone scan revealed extensive metastatic cancer in the lumbar spine and a chest X-ray showed pulmonary metastases. The doctors informed Mrs DAY of the metastases and prescribed a course of paclitaxel chemotherapy with herceptin. Mrs DAY agreed to the treatment but is frightened at the thought of having chemotherapy and is devastated to hear that the tumour has returned. Her major worry is how she is going to cope with looking after her mother.

[LA_StudentNurse]

[...] Mrs DAY agreed to the treatment but is frightened at the thought of having chemotherapy and is devastated to hear that the tumour has returned. Her major worry is how she is going to cope with looking after her mother.

Refer her to a social worker--the SWer should have resources to assist the patient. BTW, being a caretaker of a loved one carries with it a high risk of sickness, injury, and/or death.

Best to all :redpinkhe