CASE STUDY GUIDELINES Your assignment includes 4 case studies. These are descriptions of situations in which a patient has been admitted to a health care facility. You are provided with certain information about the patient, and it is your job to answer the questions posed after each case study. This is a writing assignment, and your answers to all of the questions will need to be at least several sentences long. One-word or one-sentence answers will not receive credit! You need to explain why you chose the answer you did; in other words, support your answer. If your answer is not the one that we intended but you are able to support it with documented facts, you can still receive full credit. All grading is at the discretion of your instructor. Each case study will be worth 5 points, for a total of 20 points possible. You may work with other students on your case study, but you each must turn in your own assignment. Your answers must be in your own words! The case studies will be due 3 weeks from when they are assigned. No exceptions to this deadline! Printing problems, disk problems, hard drive problems, vacations, illness . . . you have 3 weeks to work on these, and you will lose 3 points for every day they are late. Be responsible for your work and manage your time well. The Internet is the best way to find answers to the case study questions. Some websites that may be helpful: http://www.mywebmd.com http://www.nih.gov http://www.mayoclinic.com When turning in your assignment, answer the questions on a separate sheet of paper, and staple them to the back of their respective case study questions. Make sure your name is on every answer sheet you hand in! Please have them stapled BEFORE bringing them to class; a stapler will not be provided. Good Luck! CASE STUDY #1 A 22 year-old man is admitted to the hospital, complaining of pain in both the navel region and the lower right abdominal region. He also has a mild fever and experienced several episodes of vomiting prior to admission. The doctor performed several diagnostic tests, including an ultrasound and CT scan of the affected area. A white blood cell count determined that he had an increased number of wbc’s. The doctor also determined that when pressure was applied to the lower right abdomen, the pain became worse after removing the pressure. 1. What condition is causing this patient’s pain? Explain why you came to this conclusion. 2. Explain the possible ways in which this condition begins and progresses. Explain a few of the possible outcomes for the patient if he is not treated promptly. 3. Describe some treatments the doctor would administer for this condition. CASE STUDY #2 A 35 year-old man is admitted to the hospital. He is experiencing severe pain in the left side of his back, just below the ribcage, as well as nausea. After performing several diagnostic tests, the doctor determines that he has kidney stones. 1. Explain how kidney stones can form. 2. What are some of the procedures and tests that the doctor would have performed to diagnose this as kidney stones? Give a brief description of each one you list. 3. Describe 2 treatments for kidney stones. In addition, describe several ways in which kidney stones can be prevented. CASE STUDY #3 A 71 year-old woman has been brought to the clinic. 1 hour prior to admission, she suddenly fell and is now experiencing severe pain in her right hip. Upon examination, she was noted to have a stooped posture, and x-rays of the right hip revealed a fracture. She also reported that she has been a smoker for the past 40 years. 1. From what underlying condition is this woman suffering? Explain why you came to this conclusion. 2. Describe one procedure doctors use to diagnose this condition. 3. Describe three measures of prevention for this condition CASE STUDY #4 A 62 year-old woman is admitted to the hospital with signs of a myocardial infarction (heart attack). She has angina (chest pain), shortness of breath, and is sweating noticeably. After running several diagnostic tests, the doctor confirms she suffered a heart attack, and she begins treatment. 1. Describe 4 risk factors for having a myocardial infarction. 2. Explain 2 procedures for diagnosing a myocardial infarction. 3. Explain 2 treatments for this condition.
