Case Study - A 50-year-old white male went to the emergency department with complaints of right leg pain. The patient is an avid runner, and knowing this, the provider diagnosed the patient with a right leg muscle strain. The patient was sent home with Flexeril as needed and Motrin 800 mg q8h as needed. One week later, the patient followed up with his primary care doctor with continued right leg pain. His doctor instructed him to continue to take the muscle relaxant and Motrin, and advised that the pain should subside in 5-10 days. The following day the right leg pain increased, prompting the patient to return to the emergency department. Multiple providers failed to diagnose a blood clot in the patient's right leg.
To prepare:
• Review Part 4, 11 of the Buttaro et al. text in this week's Learning Resources.
• Select one of the cased studies provided. Reflect on what went wrong in this case study, as well as why patient blood clots continue to be misdiagnosed.
• Think about how you might have prevented the misdiagnosis of the patient the case study. Consider strategies for obtaining patient history, ordering diagnostics, and recommending potential treatment options
A description of what went wrong in the case study that you selected, as well as why patient blood clots continue to be misdiagnosed. Then, explain how you might have prevented the misdiagnosis of the patient in the study. Include strategies for obtaining patient history, ordering diagnostics, and recommending potential treatment options.
Reference-
Readings
• Buttaro, T. M., Trybulski, J., Polgar Bailey, P., & Sandberg-Cook, J. (2013). Primary care: A collaborative practice (4th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.
Part 4, "Office Emergencies" ?Chapter 29, "Bradycardia and Tachycardia" (pp. 198-202)
Part 11, "Evaluation and Management of Cardiovascular Disorders" (pp. 487-611)
Courtenay, M. (2000). Reading and Interpreting the Electrocardiogram. In Advanced nursing skills: Principles and practice (pp. 39-55). London: Greenwich Medical Media. Retrieved from http://assets.cambridge.org/97818411/00364/sample/9781841100364WS.pdf
? LearnTheHeart.com. (2005). ECG basics. Retrieved from http://www.learntheheart.com/ecg-review/ecg-interpretation-tutorial/introduction-to-the-ecg/