NURS-FPX 4900 Capstone project for Nursing

Prof. Name

Date

Identification of Patient Healthcare Issue 

This capstone project aims to tackle type 2 diabetes in my mother case. My mother is 60 years old patient, who experienced excessive thirst, tingling sensation in his toes and fingers, and unintentional weight loss around a year ago. After that, I took her to the laboratory for a fasting blood glucose test. Her laboratory investigations were conducted, and her fasting blood glucose was 280 mg/dL (higher than the normal range of 70-100 mg/dL) with HbA1c 10%. This showed that my mother was suffering from type 2 diabetes. Her treatment occurred in Alhambra Hospital Medical Center, where I worked as a registered nurse.

Her history showed she was a hypertensive patient, effectively controlled by medication medication adherence was the only factor that maintained his blood pressure. However, her sedentary lifestyle, lacking physical activity, alcoholism, and unhealthy diet is a crucial factor that needs to be addressed. Another important issue in my mother’s case is our middle-class background, where financial responsibilities doesn’t allow her to effectively manage the disease condition. 

NURS FPX 4900 Assessment 1 Assessing the Problem Leadership Collaboration Communication Change Management and Policy Considerations

Type 2 diabetes is a common health problem experienced by older people. In 2019, about 19.3% of the population aged 65-99 suffered from diabetes. Moreover, the incidence rates of type 2 diabetes in elderly people will increase to 195.2 million and 276.3 million by 2030 and 2045, respectively (Sinclair et al., 2020). This shows that type-2 diabetes is highly relevant to our professional practice, which many older people experience later in their aging lives. Furthermore, diabetes is a significant healthcare issue that impacts patients’ quality of life. 

Diabetes, if left untreated, leads to various complications, such as eye blindness, peripheral neuropathy, kidney damage, and mental health issues (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). As a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, this problem is relevant to my nursing practice personally and professionally. Many diabetes cases are admitted regularly due to their high prevalence, and I provide nursing care treatment to them daily. Moreover, it relates to me personally as my mother is a diabetic patient. Therefore, I am on a grave mission to provide care, treatment, and support to my mother in improving his diabetes. 

Evidence-Based Approach to Guide Nurses

Nurses play a significant role in managing chronic conditions like diabetes as they are primary caretakers who monitor consistent changes in patients’ health, deliver medication, and provide supportive care. Managing diabetes requires a multifaceted approach of medication adherence, lifestyle modification, and constant monitoring of blood glucose levels. Nurses can educate patients on modifying their lifestyles, particularly patients like my mother, who indulge in unhealthy eating habits and alcohol consumption. This is possible by providing counseling sessions and educating patients on self-management behaviors where they are actively involved in improving their lifestyles, such as enhancing their intake of fruits and vegetables instead of processed food (Hermanns et al., 2020).

Additionally, they can collaborate with dieticians to create healthy meal plans that consider patient preferences to make a patient-centered care plan. These actions can be introduced into my mother’s life, and her lifestyle can be modified by providing her with DSMES programs. This will educate her about the harmful impact of consuming alcohol and processed food in her daily life and empower her to take care of her health. Furthermore, her meal plans can be created considering her preferences and cravings to deliver patient-centered care.