Acid-Base Imbalance and Its Etiology
The acid-base imbalance that Shauna might have experienced as a result of her taking some fruit juice from a street vendor was metabolic acidosis. Metabolic acidosis results of severe diarrhea, which predisposes the body to a high possibility of this particular type of acid-base imbalance. In the case of Shauna, it is clear that she experienced severe diarrhea resulting from her intake of the juice, which, in turn, means that the likelihood of her finding herself predisposed to metabolic acidosis is significantly high. According to Linhares et al. (2017), internal secretions tend to have high levels of bicarbonates, which are essential in maintaining some form of balance within the pH levels within the body system. In cases where individuals find themselves experiencing severe diarrhea, the body loses a significant amount of internal secretions, which creates a high possibility of metabolic acidosis.
When the body loses a high volume of internal secretions and fluids through prolonged or severe diarrhea, the organization finds itself in a position where it is not able to maintain its domestic pH levels. Ultimately, this results in a situation where the pH levels reduce significantly, thus, exposing a patient to metabolic acidosis. In the case of Shauna, one of the key aspects to note is that her consumption of the fruit juice paved the way for her to experience severe diarrhea based on her body's reaction to the juice. Consequently, this meant that her body was losing a significant amount of bicarbonates taking into account that her body was missing a considerable amount of internal fluids. From that view, it can be safe to say that indeed Shauna might have experienced a metabolic acidosis acid-base imbalance considering that her body might have suffered a challenge in maintaining its pH balance.
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Cho et al. (2017) reflect on the position that the overall levels of bicarbonates arising intestinal secretions associated with microbial infections tend to increase significantly with the body developing a mechanism to fight the metabolic acids from the pathogen. In microbial infections, the most likely outcome is that the organization finds itself in a position where the metabolic acid levels within the intestines increases. Thus, this creates the need for the body to develop an approach or mechanism that would help ensure that the intestines can neutralize the metabolic acid produced by the pathogen. From that perspective, it becomes clear that the possibility of metabolic acidosis increases significantly considering that the body loses a base from which to maintain the expected acid-base balance.
Function and Importance of Bicarbonate Buffer System
The bicarbonate buffer system plays a vital role in ensuring that the body is in a position from which to maintain control over its pH levels, which may vary due to a vast array of factors. If the body is exposed to a strong acid, the bicarbonate buffer system uses carbonic acid (H 2 CO 3 ) to help in neutralizing the strong acid (Kitterer, Schwab, Alscher, Braun, & Latus, 2016). In some cases, patients find themselves exposed to strong acids based on the foods that they consume some of which may expose them to high acidity levels. In such cases, the body’s acid-base homeostatic mechanism to help in restoring the pH levels at the expected levels is to release the carbonic acid (H 2 CO 3 ) from the bicarbonate buffer system. The long-term effect is that the body finds itself in a primary position from which to neutralize acidity.
On the other hand, the bicarbonate buffer system also plays a critical role when dealing with the dealing with a strong base, which may also affect the pH levels within the body system significantly. In this case, the buffer system adopts usage of bicarbonate salt, bicarbonate ion (HCO − 3 ) to help in ensuring that the strong base is neutralized with the focus being on ensuring that the body achieves its expected pH levels (Bednarski & Kupczynski, 2015). The sole focus for the bicarbonate buffer system is to work towards ensuring that the body can maintain proper metabolic functionality. Failure arising within the bicarbonate buffer system results in an acid-base imbalance, which may be indicated acidemia, which is a pH of less than 7.35, and alkalemia, which is a pH level of above 7.45 within the blood system.
Strategy for Winning Patient Cooperation
When engaging in the education of patients and their families focusing on pathological states, one of the key aspects that would help in determining the overall structure of success is the ability to win patient’s cooperation. The focus for every nurse ought to be working towards ensuring that patients reflect on the information accorded to them as part of the education process. In my case, the strategy that I find as being essential towards winning patient cooperation is categorized into three distinct phases each of which I tend to consider as being necessary towards determining the overall structure of success that I achieve during patient education. These phases are:
Impression
One of the key aspects that I consider as being essential towards determining my connection to my patients and their family during schooling on pathological states is the impression that I make on the patients. I always work towards ensuring that I develop a positive impact when focusing on the views that my patients may have of me as a nurse, as I believe that this is important towards elevating the possibilities of trust. When interacting with my patients for the first time or their family members, I always work towards providing them the impression that I am still ready to help them.
Communication
In the first phase of my strategy, I do not only focus on the education process but also reflect on the overall possibilities associated with the different communication strategies that I would use as part of the education process. I engage with my patients beforehand from where I can get a glimpse of their communication abilities, which helps me to reflect on my communication strategies. In other words, I always work towards creating a high level of confidence when focusing on my patients, as I tend to believe that enhanced communication is essential towards building useful a definite connection.
Question and Answer
The second phase of my strategy reflects on the idea of providing my patients with a platform from which to ask a wide array of items reflecting on the pathological states from where I can give them with the answers. I tend to view this as being essential towards building that element of trust and confidence on the part of my patients, as it becomes essential for patients to reflect on what they would want to learn from the education process.
References
Bednarski, M., & Kupczynski, R. (2015). Analysis of acid? Base disorders in calves with lactic acidosis using a classic model and robust ion approach. Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 39 (5), 615-620.
Cho, A. et al. (2017). Acid-base disorders after orthotopic bladder replacement: comparison of an ileal neobladder and an ileal conduit. Renal failure, 39 (1), 379-384.
Kitterer, D., Schwab, M., Alscher, M. D., Braun, N., & Latus, J. (2015). Drug-induced acid-base disorders. Pediatric Nephrology, 30 (9), 1407-1423.
Linhares, J. M. et al. (2017). Physical exercise on serum electrolytes and acid-base balance in Mangalarga Marchador horses submitted to a cavalcade of 4, 8 and 20km. Ciência Rural, 47 (5), 1-6.
