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GERIATRIC PATIENTS

GERIATRIC PATIENTS. A wide variety of medical calls from the specific to the vague Communicating: Hearing loss Deterioration of vision Speech Memory loss consider base-lines . Make sure your patient can see and hear you Be respectful Get at eye level. Assessing

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GERIATRIC PATIENTS

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  1. GERIATRIC PATIENTS

  2. A wide variety of medical calls from the specific to the vague Communicating: • Hearing loss • Deterioration of vision • Speech • Memory loss consider base-lines

  3. Make sure your patient can see and hear you • Be respectful • Get at eye level

  4. Assessing Scene size-up and safety • How well kept • Safety issues • Temperature

  5. Initial Assessment • General Impression level of distress • Mental Status base-line • Airway difficulty extending or flexing the neck dentures

  6. Breathing poorly chewed food dentures • Circulation difficulty obtaining a radial pulse irregular

  7. Priority patients less severe symptoms high index of suspicion if symptoms are mild or vague

  8. Focused History and Physical Exam • History Misunderstandings in communication Speak slowly and clearly Allow time to respond Ask one question at a time Depression can mask or mimic other serious medical problems Possible inaccurate history Confabulation

  9. Confabulation Replacing lost circumstances with imaginary ones

  10. Physical Exam Maintain dignity Threshold of pain Base-line Vital Signs Systolic b/p has a tendency to increase Skin looses elasticity dry fragile and thin Pupils may not be round and reactive

  11. Side effects from medication weak and dizzy

  12. Detailed Physical Exam • Head and Neck injures to face common with fall and mva neck may be stiff head may be forward due to changes in the spine immobilization issues

  13. Chest and Abdomen decreased sensitivity to pain • Pelvis and Extremeties hip or proximal femur injuries common in falls, especially in women • Spine Common injury in MVAs

  14. On-Going Assessment Decline in condition may be slow Patients may not complain of sudden changes Monitor frequently Remember the components of the On- Going and what to assess for

  15. Calls you may encounter • Pharmacology Patient may take multiple meds Drug-patient interaction Drug-drug interaction • Shortness of Breath • Chest pain • AMS

  16. AMS • Medication • Hypoglycemia • Stroke • Generalized infection • Hypothermia

  17. Abdominal Pain AAA A “tearing” pain Bowel Obstruction Diverticulitis Internal Bleeding black tarry stools

  18. Diverticulitis Diverticulitis is a common digestive disease particularly found in the colon (the large intestine). Diverticulitis develops from diverticulosis, which involves the formation of pouches (diverticula) on the outside of the colon. Diverticulitis results if one of these diverticula becomes inflamed or infected. [1] The colon can become infected with craters of food stuck inside, which causes abdominal pain.

  19. Dizziness, weakness, and malaise Dizziness may be an indication of blood loss, especially upon standing Weakness can possibly be cardiac in nature. Some patients may have a pacemaker

  20. Unusual Problems • Shingles • Falls • Elder Abuse and neglect Mental Physical Financial

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