What the heck does she mean by "pathophysiology"?

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I am a new nursing student. Our teacher is vague to put it lightly. We are doing a plan of care on nausea and vomiting and it asks for the Definition, which I got out of Mosby's, but it also wants the pathophysiology. I am not sure what to write there. I know the definition of pathophysiology, I just don't know how to write what she wants... If you ask her she will just say LOOK IN THE TEXT BOOK, but as a new student with NO experiencing in nursing, duh. I have no idea what the words on a plan of care should be yet. I enjoy learning, but I am convinced they think it is fun to stump the hell out of us with no help ;) So any idea what I might should write under pathophysiology of nausea and vomiting... Any of you use Harkreader? Would it be in there, because I am not finding it.

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Specializes in LDRP.

For the pathophysiology they want you to explain what is happening in the body specifically to create this condition...

For example the pathophys of congestive heart failure:

congestive heart failure is the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to meet tissue requirements for oxygen, resulting in a decreased cardiac output and decreased tissue perfusion.

Now look up and think about what is happening in the body that causes nausea and vomiting.

It can be hard sometimes, pathos often trip me up as well, but after you begin to understand what exactly youre looking for, it becomes easier. And knowing whats going on in your pts body is important when it comes to knowing how the meds youre giving are affecting the patient and their disease process..

Hope that helped somewhat?

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You are all kinds of awesome!!! I really appreciate it! What an amazing website this is

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So.... How does this sound:

Nausea is a result of conditions that increase tension on the walls of the stomach, duodenum, or lower end of the esophagus. Unpleasant stimuli, distention, gastritis and carcinoma of the stomach can produce nausea. Vomiting may follow nausea or occur without it. Vomiting is caused bu stimulation of the emetic center.

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Specializes in LDRP.

Sounds great! Show it to you instructor to see if she has any pointers.. Glad i could help!

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Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.

Your instructor may also be looking for the pathophys as to why to patient is vomiting. For instance, the pathophys behind nause and vomiting in someone with a small bowel obstruction.

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She just said to write a plan of care for the medical diagnosis of "nausea and vomiting" and it wanted the pathophysiology. This is so confusing lol... I will just have to get with it!

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma.
ckh23 said:
Your instructor may also be looking for the pathophys as to why to patient is vomiting. For instance, the pathophys behind nausea and vomiting in someone with a small bowel obstruction.

Exactly. My instructors would want us to be specific about our patient. So if they had n/v due to gastritis, we wouldn't put the other disease processes that could cause n/v, only gastritis. Since this assignment is not about a specific patient, i think what you have is great.

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Dig deeper. The nausea and vomiting are probably clinical manifestations of a larger disease pathology. Maybe its a virus or food poisoning or chemo or something else. I suppose you could do one on just N/V, but where the fun in that? - lol.

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Specializes in Endo.

My teacher told me that if you are speaking about the disease on a cellular level, its not patho.

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Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.
hydra10134 said:
My teacher told me that if you are speaking about the disease on a cellular level, its not patho.

Why wouldn't it be?

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Specializes in Endo.

I meant that if you ARE NOT speaking on a cellular level, it is not patho. Oops.

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