Hemophilia A is a bleeding disorder characterized by a delay in the blood clotting process. When people with hemophilia are injured, they bleed for longer because they lack the blood clotting factor eight that controls bleeding. The condition is rare and presents severe risks of internal bleeding, especially in the knees, elbows, and brain, which damages body tissues and is life-threatening.
Signs that an individual could be bleeding in the brain include double vision, convulsions, seizures, weakness, vomiting, and prolonged headache. Nurse practitioners should acknowledge how to manage patients with hemophilia signs and symptoms. Assessment of patients with hemophilia is a clinical practice that initiates the diagnosis of the condition. Nurse practitioners examine patients with hemophilia by assessing the injury site and extent of bleeding. Practitioners also determine the impact of the injury and bleeding on critical body functions. Nurses can evaluate the severity of the condition by determining the frequency of bleeding and the extent of the trauma that causes bleeding. In life-threatening situations, medical practitioners should not delay the clotting factor replacement. Clotting factor replacement is an evidence-based practice treatment for hemophilia. Prompt administration of clotting factor replacement is critical because it reduces the pain in the injured area and the adverse consequences of excessive bleeding. However, the immune system of people with severe hemophilia can react with clotting factors and prevent them from working.
Therefore, nurse practitioners must also acknowledge the general measures of handling patients with hemophilia, such as protecting the injured area, applying a cold pack to control bleeding, applying a compression bandage, and elevating the injured area. Nurse practitioners should recognize severe signs of hemophilia, such as swollen joints, excessive bleeding, and bleeding in the brain.