Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Myasthenia Gravis, Rebecca Wheeler

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Myasthenia gravis (MG), a neuromuscular and autoimmune disorder, is not completely understood by clinicians and scientists. The primary cause is thought to be anti-Acetylcholine receptor antibodies that attack the neuromuscular junction, causing destruction of post-synaptic junctional folds and blockade of the receptor. This causes frequent weakness and fatigability of voluntary muscles, making activities of daily living difficult for those living with MG. Although it is not an incredibly prevalent disease, the incidence is increasing in the United States due to better testing and diagnosis. Treatments are available, including cholinesterase inhibitors that raise the concentration of Acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction …

Delirium, Angela Lee

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Delirium is a severe neurocognitive syndrome characterized by acute changes in consciousness and cognition (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; Wilson et al., 2020). The syndrome is found to be prevalent within the adult intensive care population resulting from various triggers and stressors in the critical care setting (Wilson et al., 2020). On average, the prevalence of delirium is 23%, but the incidence significantly increases to 50-70% in mechanically ventilated patients (Wilson et al., 2020). As a result of the extension of cognitive deficits, if left untreated, delirium may lead to long-term impairments in cognitive disfunction (Wilson et al., 2020). Current studies …

Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19), Matthew Baker

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) emerged in the fall of 2019 and impacted millions of people worldwide deeming it a global pandemic. The virus primarily impacts the respiratory system, but has shown to affect other organ systems such as the kidneys, heart, and brain. Respiratory failure leading to Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) associated with COVID-19 requires ventilatory support and possibly prone therapy to increase lung volumes and prevention of atelectasis. There are several treatment modalities for mild and severe cases of COVID-19 that range from antivirals to vaccine development. COVID-19 is a complex virus that can vary from mild to severe cases …

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (Dic), Kahl Knapke

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a rare medical emergency that can have profound and potentially life-threatening conditions. DIC has a hypercoagulability phase that simultaneously leads to a hypocoagulability phase due to depletion of clotting factors. DIC is secondary complication stemming from an underlying condition. Trauma, malignancy, severe infection, reaction to a transfusion, obstetric complications, etc. are a few conditions that are commonly linked to DIC. The primary method of treatment is early identification and resolving the underlying medical condition. The management of DIC requires nursing and medical staff with keen knowledge and understanding of precursor signs of DIC and the …

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation, Kahl Knapke

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a rare medical emergency that can have profound and potentially life-threatening conditions. DIC has a hypercoagulability phase that simultaneously leads to a hypocoagulability phase due to depletion of clotting factors. DIC is a secondary complication stemming from an underlying condition. Trauma, malignancy, severe infection, reaction to a transfusion, obstetric complications, etc. are a few conditions that are commonly linked to DIC. The primary method of treatment is early identification and resolving the underlying medical condition. The management of DIC requires nursing and medical staff with keen knowledge and understanding of precursor signs of DIC and …

Sepsis Pathophysiology, Samantha Kingsley

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Sepsis is one of the most common diagnoses in medical intensive care units (MICUs) worldwide. Sepsis is a medical emergency where prompt intervention is vital to promoting positive patient outcomes. Septic shock develops when sepsis has progressed to the point of persistent hypotension despite appropriate fluid resuscitation. It is important to recognize the early signs of sepsis and intervene to prevent further progression. As the understanding of the pathophysiology has developed further over the years, the treatments and outcomes associated with sepsis have also improved. However, prompt recognition and intervention have always been at the forefront of management and should …

Malignant Hyperthermia, Kathryn Hernandez

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a condition in which the body goes into a hypermetabolic state affecting skeletal muscle in response to receiving inhaled anesthetics or the neuromuscular blocking agent, succinylcholine. MH is an autosomal dominant disorder that is most closely related to a defect in the ryanodine receptor. The defective receptor causes a rapid increase of intracellular calcium causing hyperthermia, tachycardia, tachypnea, hypercapnia, increased oxygen consumption, acidosis, hyperkalemia, muscle rigidity, and rhabdomyolysis. With the complexity of this disorder and its unique pathophysiological process it is crucial that all parts of the surgical team, especially anesthesia providers, understand how to treat …

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Gifty Menka

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), is diagnosed as persistently elevated pressures in the pulmonary arteries. It is a severe disease that requires early diagnosis and treatment as it can be life-threatening if not treated promptly and adequately. The initial presenting signs and symptoms such as lethargy, malaise, and exercise intolerance can be vague, making it difficult to diagnose. Also, doctors at centers that specialize in treating PAH are the only ones who can properly diagnose the condition and initiate disease-targeted therapy. There are different types of PAH; the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes 5 groups of pulmonary hypertension (PH), and they …

Coarctation Of The Aorta, Megan Berens

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a ductal dependent congenital heart defect that causes decreased blood flow to areas of the body distal to the site of constriction. CoA is one of the most common congenital heart defects, though is often missed in neonatal assessments. Neonatal patients with CoA often present to the hospital in a state of cardiopulmonary collapse. CoA is occasionally diagnosed in older children and adults who have upper extremity hypertension and decreased femoral pulses. CoA repair is performed through surgery or percutaneous catheter interventions. Patients with CoA have an increased likelihood of developing other vascular lesions. …

Acute Kidney Injury, Mary Boadu

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

This poster presents up to date information regarding acute kidney injury (AKI) which often presents in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Most patients may not have identifiable symptoms therefore, advanced practice clinicians are charged with a great responsibility to diagnose, treat and follow-up with such patients. It is pertinent that clinicians recognize AKI early in an effort to prevent adverse consequences as seen in the progression of AKI to chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension, Alyssa Curry

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Chronic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a rare and underdiagnosed complication of unresolved acute pulmonary embolism (PE). A chronic fibrotic thrombus replaces the unresolved emboli in the pulmonary vascular bed causing pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension (Mahmud et al., 2018). Symptoms rang from mild nonspecific such as exercise intolerance and dyspnea. As the disease progresses, symptoms present similarly to right ventricular heart failure (Gopalan et al., 2016). Although the pathophysiology and etiology of CTEPH is still not fully understood, risk factors include increased size of the PE, right ventricular strain, chronic inflammation, and defects in fibrinolysis among others (Fernandes et al., 2016). Treatment …

Aortic Stenosis, Christina Lower

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Aortic Stenosis is the progressive and permanent narrowing of the aortic valve that is located between the left ventricle and the aorta. The pathophysiology is endothelial damage to the valve resulting in lipid penetration, calcific changesand valve stiffness.Major risk factors for aortic stenosis are natural aging>60 years(atherosclerotic changes in vasculature) and male gender.In the early phases of aortic stenosis, the body compensatesvia hypertrophy of the left ventricle to accommodateforthe increased pressure gradient. Progression is typically over years to decades untildecreased outflow of blood leads toinadequate perfusion to major organsystems including the heart itself. Patientsdo not typically have symptoms until …

Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic State, Justin Momeyer

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) are dangerous complications of diabetes. HHS is examined in this poster and compared to DKA. Even though both have some similarities, they have very different laboratory profiles, patient presentations, treatments, complications, and can require different levels of care. With diabetes becoming more common amongst patients in the hospital, it is imperative that healthcare providers are aware of both of these complications. Nurses who understand both of these complications are able to act pro-actively for their patients, ask questions regarding correct treatments and orders, include the right providers in the care team, and …

Aortic Stenosis Poster, Katonya Lawson

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Aortic stenosis is the narrowing of the aortic valve secondary to calcification and fibrosis. It is the most common valve disorder and the second most frequent reason for cardiac surgery. As the elderly population increases, the number of patients presenting with aortic stenosis will increase. RNs and APRNs need to be aware of the pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of aortic stenosis because the disease can progress quickly and be fatal if mismanaged. Patients with aortic stenosis have an increased risk of morbidity and mortality during the peri-operative period during non-cardiac surgery. Therefore, CRNAs must remain vigilant when caring for this …

Ischemic Stroke, Rachele Gualtieri

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and a very large percentage of those who suffer a stroke experience an ischemic stroke. It is detrimental that the healthcare providers caring for these patients are proficient in understanding the pathophysiology and treatment of a stroke to preserve maximal function of the brain and promote a full recovery. It is also crucial that providers are aware of risk factors for stroke, events leading up to an ischemic injury, and the events that follow an ischemic injury. This poster discusses the underlying pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, risk …

Sepsis, John Bell

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

The pathophysiology of sepsis is related to the patient’s immune response. It involves an imbalance between pro-inflammatory and antiinflammatory responses, causing damage by a variety of mechanisms (Keegan & Wira, 2014).

Pulmonary Embolism, Tonya Day

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

The pathophysiological topic of acute pulmonary embolism was chosen to increase the knowledge base and provide additional information to assist with moving forward from a registered nurse to an Advance Practicing Nurse. Working as a full-time registered nurse in the emergency department, the working diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism is something that is ruled out on many patients with complaints of shortness of breath, chest pain, or decrease in pulse oximetry. Since a patient with an acute pulmonary embolism can have both typical and atypical symptoms, the death rate can be very high, if not caught earlier enough. An acute …

Sepsis, Sarah Jones

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Sepsis is a dysregulation of the inflammatory response, termed systemic inflammatory response syndrome or SIRS, caused by stimulation of an infectious process. Sepsis often leads to organ dysfunction and increased morbidity, mortality and financial burdens. The goal of treatment is to initiate appropriate antimicrobial therapies, target the underlying infection, optimize intravascular volume, provide fluid resuscitation and maintain adequate perfusion and stroke volume (Taeb, Hooper & Marik, 2017).

Timing of treatment and early detection of sepsis is critical to patients with early warning signs. Sharing this information and potentially making a difference in the outcomes of patients presenting with early signs …

Acute Bronchospasm Under General Anesthesia, Cody Rasmussen

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

An acute bronchospasm during general anesthesia can become a life-threatening intraoperative condition for any patient. Bronchospasm occurs when the bronchial smooth muscle constricts which makes ventilating the patient difficult, and can ultimately lead to hypoventilation, hypoxemia, and metabolic acidosis. It’s imperative for any anesthesia provider to understand what a bronchospasm is, its pathophysiology, differential diagnosis, and algorithm of treatments. This poster presentation provides a summary based discussion of acute bronchospasm under general anesthesia.

Traumatic Induced Coagulopathy, Paul Devore

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Trauma is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the United States. For years patients have been resuscitated in a similar method without improvement in survival of the most severely injured cohort. While acidemia, hypoxia, and hypothermia have long been recognized as complicating factors in the care of trauma patients, it is only recently that research has led to a greater understanding of the pathophysiology of this deadly trio. Coagulopathy of trauma is a multi factorial process which is now being recognized as the proximate cause of death in many patients. This poster examines the pathophysiology and nursing interventions …

Local Anesthesia Toxicity, Nicole Mccleery

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Local anesthesia (LA) provides a way to relieve temporary pain in a small part of the body and has been used for over 100 years (Fencl, 2015). LA also prevents the passage of surgical stimuli into the central nervous system (CNS) making a surgical procedure less painful for the patient (Noble, 2015). According to Noble, “altering the passage of stimuli from smaller diameter neurons in a confined area with lower drug dosages is called LA, such as the injection of LA around a surgical incision” (Noble, 2015, p.325). LA can be used in a variety of settings, such as in …

Sepsis To Septic Shock, Seth Whitlow

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Abstract

The diagnosis of sepsis has long been part of medicine, however ambiguous definitions, treatment modalities, and research criteria have not provided a unified understanding of the disease. In 2016, international healthcare practitioners convened a panel of experts and developed criteria that defined sepsis as ‘life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by dysregulated host response to infection’. The pathogenesis of sepsis and septic shock is complex and make understanding physiological host response to infection difficult. Evidence shows that with each passing hour patient mortality is increased when treatment is withheld. Sepsis has proven an elusive diagnosis where one size does not fit …

Angioedema: Ace-Inhibitors Adverse Reaction, Jesse Vandyne

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

This is a poster presentation about angioedema caused by Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACEI or ACE Inhibitors). Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) medications are one of the leading causes of angioedema in the United States, also known as ACEI-RA (Chan & Soliman, 2015, p. 207). ACE inhibitors are among the most commonly prescribed medications worldwide because they are indicated for the management of hypertension, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, diabetic nephropathy, and chronic kidney disease (Chan & Soliman, 2015, p. 207).

Malignant Hyperthermia, Garrett Erickson

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Malignant hyperthermia is known as a pharmacogenetic disorder which manifests itself in the skeletal muscle (Heytens, Forget, Scholtès, & Veyckemans, 2015). When a susceptible patient, who carries the autosomal dominant trait, is exposed to volatile anesthetics and/or the neuromuscular blocker succinylcholine, a detrimental response can occur. This response is a hypermetabolic state with hypercapnia, hemodynamic instability, rigidity, hyperthermia, and signs of rhabdomyolysis (Heytens et al., 2015). MH is a rare condition with incidences between 1/5,000 and 1/50,000 (Nagelhout and Plaus, 2014, p. 829), and often occurs during the induction of anesthesia but can also occur intraoperatively or one hour post …

Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction, Miranda Shull

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

A poster project about Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction.

Malignant Hyperthermia, Aaron Roth

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Malignant hyperthermia is a rare disease trait and can take place in a variety of settings. If not treated in a timely manner, the consequences will be dire. It is recommended that nurses and other healthcare personnel be properly educated on MH crises. By detecting the signs and symptoms associated with the disease, providers can efficiently remedy the crisis and save patient lives (Seifert, 2014). Since the discovery of dantrolene in 1975 and the advancement of genetics regarding MH, death rates dropped from about 80% to about 5% (Schneiderbanger et al., 2014). Today there is a MH group called the …

Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Tyler B. Skelton

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Guillain-Barre Syndrome consists of a group of neuropathic conditions characterized by progressive weakness and diminished or absent myotatic reflexes. The estimated annual incidence in the United States is 1.65 to1.79 per 100,000 persons (Walling & Dickson, 2013). Understanding how this condition progresses and the affects it has on a patient will assistant in providing optimal patient care as a future nurse anesthetist. As stated by Turakhia, P., Barrick, B., and Berman, J. (2013) “the anesthetic implications for the various comorbidities are varied and can be profound” (p.1). An individual who suffers from Guillain-Barre is a patient who certainly requires critical …

Septic Shock, Lacey Lauer

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Sepsis is a frequently seen diagnosis in hospital settings, which when left untreated can progress to severe sepsis and septic shock. Septic shock occurs in more than 230,000 patients in the United States annually and is the cause of more than 40,000 deaths (Seymour & Rosengart, 2015). It is very important for hospital staff members to quickly and accurately identify signs of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock so that patients can undergo treatment as quickly as possible. Studies have shown that the early treatment of sepsis may lead to decreased sepsis-related mortality (Benedict, 2015).

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Brian Flowers

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

In healthcare, there are many interesting and intriguing conditions that are vital to understand from both a clinical and a pathophysiological standpoint. Comprehending and knowing how to treat these conditions effectively, ultimately leads to the best care and patient outcomes. As a current critical care nurse and future advanced practice nurse, it was important to select a research topic of interest to explore that would benefit a high risk group of patients. Based on this precedent, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was chosen. As a critical care nurse, exposure to respiratory conditions and mechanical ventilation management is something nurses are …