FSU Uninsured Homeless Painter Holistic Care Approach Discussion Reply

Please respond to discussion below using current APA edition and 2 scholarly references:

Question 1

A good number of American residents do not have health insurance due to various reasons. The lack of health insurance has made people shun away from healthcare services, as seen in the case study. However, lack of health insurance does not mean that one should not receive medical attention when needed. The case of the homeless painter can be used to explore the various ways that people who lack health insurance can be treated for various illnesses. In most cases, people who lack health insurance belong to the low-income economic class, which translates to their inability to pay for healthcare services in cash. As a result, the nurse practitioner (NP) should be able to suggest ways that the patient would receive healthcare services. Another factor to note is that the patient is homeless, and that should also be considered when suggesting ways of seeking healthcare in his state. One probable method is to seek financial assistance programs for the patient (Zafar & Peppercorn, 2017). Such programs would greatly assist the patient in footing the hospital bill and also provide shelter for the patient. The NP would suggest to the patient to visit community health clinics or free clinics. However, due to the high blood pressure and underlying risk of recurrent pancreatitis, the NP should encourage the patient to visit a hospital. The nurse should also write a report for the next healthcare practitioner who will see the patient as it will offer a summarized professional health history of the patient. Another alternative would be to refer the patient to a low-cost health facility. That way, the NP would have greatly assisted the patient.

Question 2

The NP should be able to explain to the patient without instilling panic or fear as to why the condition cannot be treated outside a hospital. The NP should mention how severe the condition is, giving reasons such as the rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, and severe abdominal pain (Szatmary et al., 2022). The NP should also make it clear that lab and radiologic tests are required and that the facility does not have those tools.

Question 3

When the patient has visited a hospital with the mentioned symptoms, numerous tests will be done to ascertain the most probable condition. The tests include blood tests, imaging, and liver function tests. Under the blood tests, complete blood count (CBC), comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), lipase, and amylase test will be used to assess pancreatic function and inflammation (Walkowska et al., 2022). Imaging will also be required as it will give a visual of the pancreas and the structures surrounding it. A liver function test is necessitated by the jaundice of the patient’s sclera. Liver tests such as bilirubin and liver enzyme test should be performed.

Question 4

The severity of pancreatitis will be determined by Ranson’s Criteria, the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE-II) score, or the Bedside Index of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) score. The scores help healthcare providers determine the level of medical intervention required and the potential for complications (Harshit Kumar, & Singh Griwan, 2018).

Question 5

The patient will probably require admission, which will give the healthcare practitioner ample time to manage the patient’s condition. Actions such as prescribing intravenous fluids are expected. The intravenous fluids will aid in hydration, admission of nutrients and medicines, and maintaining an electrolyte balance. Pain management is also expected through medication. Nutrition value will be slowly reintroduced orally depending on the patient’s response to treatment. Healthcare practitioners are expected to monitor vital signs and laboratory results closely as it will guide them in the treatment process. The healthcare practitioner should also be ready to deal with any complications that may occur during the treatment process.

Question 6

Once the patient’s illness has been resolved, it will be vital for the patient to be educated on various aspects related to the illness. Information on alcohol and his condition should be highlighted. The NP should emphasize the management of alcoholism to prevent the recurrence of the condition. Emphasis should also be put on the patient’s diet. He should adopt a healthy diet which also prevents recurrence. The patient should also be educated on the importance of acquiring health insurance. If the patient does not have any health insurance, he should be educated on the importance of seeking medical assistance when they do not feel okay, even if he does not have an insurance cover.