PATIENT CARE STUDY
Read the following patient care study and use
your nursing process skills to answer the
questions below.
Scenario:Gina Cioffi, a 23-year-old graduate
nurse, has been in her new position as a criti-
cal care staff nurse in a large tertiary-care med-
ical center for 3 months. “I was so excited
about working three 12-hour shifts a week
when I started this job, thinking I’d have lots
of time for other things I want to do, but I’m
not so sure anymore,” she says. “I’ve been
doing extra shifts when we’re short-staffed
because the money is so good, and right now
it seems I’m always tired and all I think about
all day long is how soon I can get back to bed.
Worst of all, when I do finally get into bed, I
often can’t fall asleep, especially if things have
been busy at work and someone ‘went bad.’
Does everyone else feel like me?” Looking at
Gina, you notice dark circles under her eyes
and are suddenly struck by the change in
her appearance from when she first started
working. At that time, she “bounced into
work” looking fresh each morning, and her
features were always animated. Now, her skin
is pale, her hair and clothes look rumpled, and
the “brightness” that was so characteristic
of her earlier is strikingly absent. With some
gentle questioning, you discover that she fre-
quently goes out with new friends she has
made at the hospital when her shift is over,
and sometimes goes for 48 hours without
sleep. “I know I’ve gotten myself into a rut.How do I get out of it? I used to think my
sleep habits were bad at school, but this is a
hundred times worse because there never
seems to be time to crash. I just have to keep
on going.”
1.Identify pertinent patient data by placing a
single underline beneath the objective data in
the case study and a double underline beneath
the subjective data.
2.Complete the Nursing Process Worksheet on
page 223 to develop a three-part diagnostic
statement and related plan of care for this
patient.
3.Write down the patient and personal nursing
strengths you hope to draw on as you assist
this patient to better health.
Patient strengths:Personal strengths:4.Pretend that you are performing a nursing
assessment of this patient after the plan of
care is implemented. Document your findings.222 UNIT VII PROMOTING HEALTHY PHYSIOLOGIC RESPONSES
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