The patient is an 84-year-old female who was admitted to the hospital due to delirium and a urinary tract infection and demonstrated the presence of anemia, hypokalemia, hyponatremia, anxiety, and depression. At the same time, as discussed in the article “The management of urinary tract infections in older patients within an urgent care out-of-hours setting,” the causes of diseases can be different, including flora and problems with the kidneys. There is an ongoing problem that older people in primary and secondary care are being prescribed antibiotics as a popular treatment. However, antibiotics are a serious stress for the body, and it seems that their number should be reduced in dealing with this health problem.
The article considers the possibility that the lack of preventive or timely treatment of infections in the urinary tract leads to the fact that patients experience sepsis. The problem of infections is one of the most important, as it can have serious consequences. An increase in the number of elderly and senile people leads to an increase in the number of diseases. Thus, a challenge arises for some nurses in out-of-hours care to perform a range of tasks. At the same time, the concept of autonomous practical nurses is being popularized. They can legally examine patients, diagnose diseases, prescribe certain medications, and provide treatment. Symptoms may not be apparent in older patients or may include an urge to urinate, dysuria, decreased appetite, and pain in the lower abdomen and lumbar region (Dexter & Mortimore, 2021). With inflammation of the kidney, systemic symptoms and a septic reaction can be observed.
In conclusion, for evaluation, the national early warning score system is often used, which is based on physiological parameters. The article’s authors found that the presence of infections increases the level of delirium. Moreover, recommendations are given for the analysis of elderly patients through studying the background of diseases, as well as that it is optimal to conduct a full analysis before prescribing treatment. It is highlighted that the role of the nurse in communication to convey information is important.
Reference
Dexter, J., & Mortimore, G. (2021). The management of urinary tract infections in older patients within an urgent care out-of-hours setting.British Journal of Nursing, 30(6), 334-342.