Health Questionnaire: Get a Free Personalized Assessment

M. K. J 

Section 1 

Age 52 Gender - Female 

Vital Signs - fatigue 

Height 3 feet Weight - 52 kgs 

Medical Diagnosis 

The client is suffering from arthritis related to older age and low calcium level as evidenced by painful joints in her fingers. 

Father – Dead Mother - living 

Ethnic Origin - American (white) Occupation - kindergarten teacher 

Family/support group 

Current Medications taken 

Dosage Root Duration 

1. Amlodipine 5mg oral daily 

2. Ferrous fumarate 210 mg oral 3 times a day

3. co-codamol 8/500 oral 4 times a day 

OTCs 

1. Formulation R 1 pill a day oral 1 week

2. Acetaminophen 2 pills in 6 hours oral 6 days

3. Aspirin 1 pill in 8 hours oral 6 days

4. Penicilin

Monthly costs of taking medication with insurance 

150 dollars 

Monthly cost without insurance 

120 dollars 

Section 2 

Three Medications which the client is taking regularly 

Tylenol 

Generic name chemical name Trade name 

Acetaminophen Tylenol Tylenol

Tylenol, which is an acetaminophen, has a substantial negative effect on pregnancy. Mothers who use the drug may end up giving birth to children with attention Deficit Hypersensitivity Disorder (ADHD) ( Zyoud et al., 2010) . The drug is mainly used as a pain reliever especially against fever. The action of the drug is excellent as it relieves pain almost immediately. Tylenol should be used appropriately as an overdose may lead to liver damage among other health problems ( Zyoud et al., (2010) . The dosage for adults is two pills for every six hours. For children, it is advised that the dosage should not exceed five in twenty-four hours. The drug has no effects on food and may be taken with or without food. Nursing guidance is required for Tylenol or acetaminophen usage. Expectant mothers need to be educated on the effects of the drug on their condition. 

Generic name chemical name Trade name 

Penicillin Penicillin Benzyl Penicillin Benzyl Penicillin

Loratadine Loratadine Loratadine Claritin

Penicillin and loratadine are perfect drugs during pregnancy. In general all the three drugs help with conditions such as fever, aches and depression. Studies have proved that the two drugs do not pose any possible effects on pregnancy. The dosage for penicillin is about 200mg for every 6 to 8 hours. For loratadine, the dosage is 10mg per day. Penicillin can be taken with or without food. Loratadine can also be taken with or without food. However, a study by Comer et al 1998; Haria, Fitton, and Peters 1994) reveals that loratadine may reduce the appetite. Nevertheless, intake of high dense food can averse the problem of appetite loss as suggested by Foltin, R.W. et al (1992). Nursing guidance may be helpful for patients using the two drugs. 

Nursing diagnosis 

The client could be experiencing some liver damages due to different drugs that have some effects on liver integrity. Acetaminophen, for example, has negative effects on the liver. There is need to monitor the dosage and diagnose any liver related problem. 

In addition, the client could be having nutritional deficiencies due to combination of strong drugs such as amlodipine and Loratadine ( Zhang et al., 2012) . Loratadine reduces appetite 

Nursing care 

Close monitoring is required. Nurse is expected to find ways of fostering appetite and ensure that right dosage is administered. Nurse should also monitor drug-diet interaction and intervene to any side effects. 

Section 3 

Client’s Understanding of taking Each Medication 

1. Prescribed 

I have to take each dosage as per the prescription and ensure each dose is take at the appropriate time and interval. It is important not to miss any dosage. I have to finish the full dosage are prescribed. 

2. OTCs 

I may take the OTC drugs to supplement the other drugs. I may take the OTC drugs at any time I feel the fever. I should not take an overdose of the OTC drugs. 

3. Regular Drugs 

The regular drugs are important and help me with my situation of pregnancy. They help relieve conditions such as nausea and depression. 

Questions for client on each medication 

1. Do you take your medications taken on an empty stomach or with meals? 

Client: For some drugs such as the regular ones and some of the OTCs, I do take them on empty stomach. Most of the time, I take the drugs with meals or after meals. 

2. Do you take you medications with another medication? 

Client: yes. Sometimes I may take an OTC drug plus the prescribed drugs at once. 

3. What effects have the medications had on your life 

Client: the regular drugs have helped a lot throughout the pregnancy. Sometimes though, I feel quite tired and with a loss of appetite. 

4. Changes in activity 

Client: no much changes 

5. Changes in mood 

Client: sometimes my mood changes 

6. Changes in eating habits 

Client: Sometimes my appetite goes down and at times I eat a lot 

7. Changes in sexual activity or mood 

Client: no changes. I still feel sexually active and the modd has not changed 

8. Changes in eliminating habits 

Client: no changes 

9. Changes in visual or hearing 

Client: no such changes 

10. Have you experienced any side effects? 

Client: not much, just a little bit of fatigue 

11. Have the changes influenced the taking of the medication 

Client: Not at all, I take my drugs as prescribed and appropriately 

12. How would you rate the information given to you at the start of the medication? 

Client: Excellent - the information clear and precise, on the use of the drugs. 

Section 4 (Drug and Food Interaction Assessment) 

Go to www.drug.com and print out drug interaction 

Review data 

Section 5 

(After reviewing data) 

The education which Marry requires 

Mary needs to know more about the drugs which she is using. She need to know if she should take her drugs with meals or without meals. Most drugs should be taken with meals or immediately after meals. 

The best way to reinforce the information with patient 

The best way to reinforce the information is to provide a detailed explanation with illustrations to the patient. Mary needs to realize the importance of drug and food interactions and the importance of taking drugs with or without food. 

Additional health care need for the client 

Nutritional needs 

Mary needs to schedule some times for resting 

3 The client needs to get more nursing guidance on the use of some drugs such as Tylenol or acetaminophen 

Section 6 

What I have learnt from the assignment 

The assignment has been a huge insight in pharmacology. Through the assignment, I have done a deep research on drugs and I have discovered very important details about various drugs. Through the assignment, I have learnt on how to assess clients regarding their use of various drugs. 

The contribution of the assignment to me in becoming a professional nurse. 

Through the assignment, I have developed more skill in professional nursing. Pharmacology is an important aspect in nursing, through the assignment, I have done research on various drugs, and the knowledge of these drugs is important nursing. I have learnt how to engage client, provide nursing guidance and education to patients. 

Identify in the assignment elements which are the roles of professional nurse 

Various elements of the assignment are useful in nursing and are the roles of professional nursing. Professional nursing involves engaging clients on their use of drugs and providing nursing guidance and education. Pharmacology is also a part of nursing as nurses also take part in providing drugs to patients. Most of the elements of the assignment are elements professional nursing. 

References 

Comer, S. D., et al (1998). Effects of methysergide and loratadine on food intake, mood, and performance of humans living in a residential laboratory. Physiol Behav 64(2) 159–164. 

Foltin, R.W. et al (1992). Caloric, but not macronutrient, compensation by humans for required-eating occasions with meals and snack varying in fat and carbohydrate. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 55 (1992), pp. 331–342 

Haria, M. Fitton, A. and Peters D.H. (1994). Loratadine. A reappraisal of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic use in allergic disorders. Drugs , 48 pp. 617–637 

Zhang et al., (2012). Anti-inflammatory effect of amlodipine plus atorvastatin treatment on carotid atherosclerosis in zucker metabolic syndrome rats Transl. Stroke Res ., 3 (2012), pp. 435–441 

Zyoud et al., (2010). Effects of delay in infusion of N-acetylcysteine on appearance of adverse drug reactions after acetaminophen overdose: a retrospective study. Pharmacoepidemiol. Drug Saf., 19, pp. 1064–1070