NUR2790 Professional Nursing III

Module 6 Discussion

Prevention of Shock

Your patient is a 42-year-old female that arrives in the ED with complaints of fever and not feeling well. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy for bladder cancer. She has an indwelling urinary catheter with scant amount of dark, foul smelling urine. She has a temperature of 102.2F, HR 136, BP 110/50 and RR 28. She is allergic to penicillin and Sulfa.

What type of shock is she experiencing?

What interventions do you anticipate the doctor will order?

What can you teach this patient about prevention of infection?

The doctor orders Bactrim. What should you be concern about? Why?

 

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Prevention of Shock

Introduction

Shock is a life-threatening condition that can result from any severe loss of blood or fluid. It can occur when the body experiences a sudden and significant loss of blood pressure, either from heart failure, an injury to a major vessel in the body (such as the abdominal aorta) or from an outpouring of blood during surgery. Without prompt treatment, shock may lead to death within minutes.

What is shock?

Shock is a condition in which the body cannot provide enough oxygen to its tissues. Causes of shock include infection, injury and heart problems.

Shock can cause death if not treated quickly.

Cardiogenic shock

Cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening condition in which the heart fails to pump enough blood to the body. Causes include heart attack, heart failure and septic shock.

Heart attacks are sudden blockages of major arteries that supply blood flow to your heart muscle. If you have had a heart attack, you may have chest pain or shortness of breath with no other symptoms until suddenly feeling very faint or collapsing (which can happen within minutes). The cause of this sudden onset is not always clear but it’s likely due to either an obstruction within one of these arteries or its branches (called collateral vessels) or damage done during this blockage by thrombus formation which causes clots in these vessels

Distributive Shock

Shock is a medical emergency that can be caused by a wide variety of conditions. It’s important to know what to do if someone is experiencing shock, as this condition is life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

If you think someone may have suffered from shock, call 911 immediately so that help can be sent over to them as soon as possible.

Hypovolemic Shock

Hypovolemic shock is a condition in which there is a loss of blood, fluid, electrolytes and plasma. The resulting drop in blood pressure puts strain on the heart and can result in death if untreated.

This type of shock is often caused by severe bleeding (such as from an injury) or severe diarrhea or vomiting (for example when you are fighting off an illness). In addition to being physically debilitating, it can also be psychologically distressing because you might feel like you’re losing control over your body’s ability to function normally. If you suspect that someone has experienced hypovolemic shock due to any other cause besides trauma or surgery (for example dehydration), call 911 immediately so that medical staff can come help them before further damage occurs.

Anaphylactic Shock

Anaphylactic shock is a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, skin rash, itching and hives. Treatment includes epinephrine (available without a prescription), antihistamines such as Benadryl or Zyrtec (available over-the-counter) and steroids if needed.

Takeaway:

Shock is a serious condition that can happen to anyone, at any age. It’s important to understand the different types of shock and what you can do to prevent it.

Shock occurs when your body doesn’t have enough oxygen or nutrients for some reason. Your heart beats faster than normal because it needs more blood flow (and therefore oxygen) to get all those nutrients through your body quickly. The result is that there isn’t enough time for all of your organs to work properly before they run out of energy and stop working completely—which may lead to death if not treated soon enough!

Conclusion

Shock is a serious condition that can kill. Shock should always be treated immediately, because if it’s not treated quickly the patient will die. In order to prevent shock, it’s important to have an emergency medical kit on hand and know how to use it effectively.