nursing health assessment report of sickle cell crisis patient

by Jeremy Padberg 8 min read

Sickle Cell Anemia Nursing Care and Management: Study …

31 hours ago The information provided in this article has been developed to coincide with the recent findings from a National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (2008) report, 'A Sickle Cell Crisis', which calls for nurses to learn more about the disorder in order to better support patients in their care. This article reiterates much of the previous written literature, which has made … >> Go To The Portal


Based on the assessment data, major nursing diagnoses for the patient with sickle cell crisis may include: • Acute pain related to tissue hypoxia due to agglutination of sickled cells within blood vessels • Risk for infection • Risk for powerlessness related to illness-induced helplessness • Deficient knowledge regarding sickle crisis prevention

Full Answer

What should be included in a nursing assessment for sickle cell anemia?

Nursing Assessment Assessment data for a sickle cell anemia patient should include: Factors causing previous crisis. The patient is asked to identify factors that precipitated previous crisis and measures the patient uses to prevent and manage the crisis

What are major nursing diagnoses for sickle cell crisis (SCC)?

Based on the assessment data, major nursing diagnoses for the patient with sickle cell crisis may include: • Acute pain related to tissue hypoxia due to agglutination of sickled cells within blood vessels • Hypoxia, ischemia, infection, and poor wound healing lead-ing to skin breakdown and ulcers

What is the latest on the sickle cell inquiry report?

Report published today (15th November 2021) following inquiry into avoidable deaths and failures of care for sickle cell patients. An All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) inquiry report published today highlights shocking failures as cross-party MPs call for major changes into care for sickle cell patients.

What are the signs and symptoms of sickle cell disease (SCD)?

Based on the assessment data, major nursing diagnosis for the patient include: Acute pain related to tissue hypoxia due to agglutination of sickled cells within blood vessels. Risk for infection. Risk for powerlessness related to illness-induced helplessness. Deficient knowledge regarding sickle cell crisis prevention.

What assessments should be performed for a patient in sickle cell crisis?

Assessment data for a sickle cell anemia patient should include:Factors causing previous crisis. The patient is asked to identify factors that precipitated previous crisis and measures the patient uses to prevent and manage the crisis.Pain levels. ... Characteristics of pain. ... Infection.

How do you assess a patient with sickle cell disease?

A blood test can check for the form of hemoglobin that underlies sickle cell anemia. In the United States, this blood test is part of routine newborn screening. But older children and adults can be tested, too. In adults, a blood sample is drawn from a vein in the arm.

What should a nurse to do sickle cell crisis?

Nursing strategies for SCD include: Manage acute crises. During an acute crisis, comfort measures, use of analgesics, and complementary approaches such as massage and distraction are key. Healthcare providers focus on hydration, prevention of infections, and early recognition of complications.

What should be assessed in a patient with sickle cell patient presenting with fever?

The presence of fever, cough, chest pain, or shortness of breath should also be elicited as this may indicate the presence of an infection including pneumonia or acute chest syndrome. Physical exam should focus on the areas of pain, but a careful examination for signs of infection should occur.

What are the signs and symptoms of sickle cell crisis?

Breathing problems (shortness of breath or pain when breathing or both) Extreme tiredness. Headache or dizziness. Painful erections in males....You might feel the pain anywhere in your body and in more than one place, but it's often in your:Arms and legs.Belly.Chest.Hands and feet (more typical in young children)Lower back.

What happens in sickle cell crisis?

A sickle cell crisis is pain that can begin suddenly and last several hours to several days. It happens when sickled red blood cells block small blood vessels that carry blood to your bones. You might have pain in your back, knees, legs, arms, chest or stomach. The pain can be throbbing, sharp, dull or stabbing.

How do you write a nursing diagnosis?

A nursing diagnosis has typically three components: (1) the problem and its definition, (2) the etiology, and (3) the defining characteristics or risk factors (for risk diagnosis). BUILDING BLOCKS OF A DIAGNOSTIC STATEMENT. Components of an NDx may include problem, etiology, risk factors, and defining characteristics.

What are examples of nursing implications?

eg. a nursing implication of administering blood pressure medication is that you may make the patient hypotensive and cause dizziness etc. As a result, you would want to be on the look out for safety concerns like the patient falling over. That is a basic one, but you get the idea.

What are the complications of sickle cell disease?

Complications of Sickle Cell DiseaseAcute Chest Syndrome.Anemia.Avascular Necrosis (Death of Bone Tissue)Blood Clots.Dactylitis (Hand-Foot Syndrome)Fever.Infection.Kidney Problems.More items...•

Why does sickle cell crisis cause fever?

Acute chest syndrome. A lung infection or sickle cells blocking blood vessels in the lungs can cause this life-threatening complication, resulting in chest pain, fever and difficulty breathing.

What are the four types of sickle cell crisis?

Four major types of crises are recognised in sickle cell anaemia: aplastic, acute sequestration, hyper-haemolytic, and vaso-occlusive crises.

What happens when a sickle cell crisis is suspected?

If a sickle cell crisis is suspected, the nurse needs to determine whether the pain currently experi-enced is the same as or different than the pain typically encoun-tered in crisis. Because the sickling process can interrupt circulation in any tis-sue or organ, with resultant hypoxia and ischemia, a careful assess-ment ...

What are the factors that affect a sickle cell crisis?

Patients in sickle cell crisis should be assessed for factors that could have precipitated the crisis, such as symptoms of infection or dehydration, or situations that promote fatigue or emotional stress.

Why do we use MRI for sickle cell anemia?

Because patients with sickle cell anemia are so susceptible to in-fections, they are assessed for the presence of any infectious process. Particular attention is given to examination ...

What is nursing care?

Nursing care focuses on monitoring the patient for signs and symp-toms of infection . Prescribed antibiotics should be initiated promptly, and the patient should be assessed for signs of dehydra-tion. If the patient is to take prescribed oral antibiotics at home, he or she must understand the need to complete the entire course of antibiotic therapy and must be able to identify a feasible adminis-tration schedule.

Is sickle cell anemia an emergency?

Care is often provided on an emergency basis, especially for some pa-tients with pain management problems (see previous section). Nurses in all settings used by this patient population need to communicate regularly with each other. Patients need to learn which parameters are important for them to monitor and how to monitor them. Parameters should also be given as to when to seek urgent care.

Can sickle cell pain be controlled?

Acute pain during a sickle cell crisis can be severe and unpre-dictable. The patient’s subjective description and rating of pain on a pain scale must guide the use of analgesics, which are valu-able in controlling the acute pain of a sickle crisis. Any joint that is acutely swollen should be supported and elevated until the swelling diminishes.

Can sickle cell anemia cause substance abuse?

Some patients with sickle cell anemia develop problems with substance abuse. For many, this abuse results from inadequate management of acute pain during episodes of crisis. Some clini-cians suggest that abuse may result from prescribing inadequate amounts of opioid analgesics for an inadequate time.

What are the symptoms of a sickle cell crisis?

The crisis is a common complication in sickle-cell patients and can be associated with one or more symptoms including fever, cough ,excruciating pain, sputum production, shortness of breath, or low oxygen levels. Regularly assess level of consciousness. Brain tissue is very sensitive to decreases in oxygen.

What are the goals of sickle cell anemia?

Nursing care planning and goals for patients with sickle cell anemia include: providing relief for pain, decrease incidences of sickle cell crisis, enhanced sense of self-esteem and power, and absence of complications.

What is sickle cell disease?

Sickle cell disease (SCD), or sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a group of hereditary blood disorders characterized by an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin molecule in red blood cells. The most common forms of SCDs are: homozygous hemoglobin SS disease (sickle cell anemia ), hemoglobin SC disease, ...

Why does cold aggravate the sickling process?

For this reason, the “sickling crises” are intermittent. Cold can aggravate the sickling process, because vasoconstriction slows the blood flow.

Why does cold affect sickling?

Cold can aggravate the sickling process, because vasoconstriction slows the blood flow. Oxygen delivery can also be impaired by an increased blood viscosity, with or without occlusion due to adhesion of sickled cells; in this situation, the effects are seen in larger vessels, such as arterioles.

Why is it important to assess sickle cell patients?

Assessing and managing dehydration is so important in sickle cell patients because stress on the organ systems from dehydration can exacerbate the pain of a crisis.

What happens when sickle cells are infected?

Frequent infections often result in pneumonia and cause shortness of breath and chest pain.

What happens if you lose perfusion in sickle cell anemia?

The brain is super sensitive to fluctuations in oxygen balance. Decreased perfusion to the brain may result in confusion, loss of consciousness and even stroke. All right, guys, here is a look at the completed care plan for sickle cell anemia. That’s it guys.

Can you inherit sickle cell disease?

Inheritance of the mutated gene from both parents results in sickle cell disease. A person who inherits the mutated gene from only one parent is a carrier of the traits. There is no cure for sickle cell anemia.

What Is Sickle Cell Anemia?

Image
Sickle cell anemiais an inherited form of hemolytic anemia. 1. Sickle cell anemia is a severe hemolyticanemia that results from inheritance of the sickle hemoglobin gene. 2. The sickle hemoglobin (HbS) gene is inherited in people ofAfricandescent and to a lesser extent in people from the Middle East, the Mediterranean area, an…
See more on nurseslabs.com

Pathophysiology

  • The HbS gene causes the hemoglobin molecule to be defective. 1. Exposure.The sickle hemoglobin acquires a crystal-like formation when exposed to low oxygen tension. 2. Change in the shape. The oxygen level in venous bloodcan be low enough to cause the erythrocyte to lose its round, pliable, biconcave disk shape. 3. Adherence.These long, rigid erythrocytes can adhere to t…
See more on nurseslabs.com

Causes

  • The causes of sickle cell anemia include: 1. Cold temperature.Cold can aggravate the sickling process, because vasoconstriction slows the blood flow. 2. Tissue hypoxia.Tissue hypoxia and necrosis causes a type of sickle cell crisis called the sickle crisis. 3. Human parvovirus. Aplastic crisisresults from infection with the human parvovirus. 4. Splenic infarction. Sequestration crisi…
See more on nurseslabs.com

Clinical Manifestations

  • Symptoms of sickle cell anemia vary and are only somewhat based on the amount of HbS. 1. Anemia.Anemia is always present; usually, hemoglobin values are 7 to 10g/dl. 2. Jaundice.Jaundice is characteristic and usually obvious in the sclerae. 3. Dysrhythmias. Dysrhythmias and heart failuremay occur in adults. 4. Enlargement of the bones.The bone marro…
See more on nurseslabs.com

Complications

  • Complications of sickle cell anemia include: 1. Infection. Patients with sickle cell anemia are unusually susceptible to infection, particularly pneumoniaand osteomyelitis. 2. Stroke. Due to the decrease in oxygen supply because of the sickling, strokemay occur. 3. Renal failure.Blood flow is reduced to other body tissues including the kidneys, which may lead to renal failure. 4. Heart fail…
See more on nurseslabs.com

Medical Management

  • Treatment for sickle cell anemia is the focus of continued research. 1. Peripheral blood stem cell transplant.This may cure sickle cell anemia, however, this is only available to a small subset of affected patients, because of either the lack of a compatible donor or because severe organ damage is a contraindication. 2. Transfusion therapy.Chronic RBC transfusion therapy may be e…
See more on nurseslabs.com

Practice Quiz: Sickle Cell Anemia

  • Here’s a 5-item quiz about the study guide. Please visit our nursing test bank page for more NCLEX practice questions. 1. A nurse expects an adult patient with sickle cell anemia to have a hemoglobin value of: A. Near 3 g/dl. B. Near 5 g/dl. C. Between 5 and 7 g/dl. D. Between 7 and 10 g/dl. 2. Sickle-shaped erythrocytes cause: A. Cellular blockage in small vessels. B. Decreased or…
See more on nurseslabs.com

See Also

  • Posts related to this care plan: 1. Anemia 2. Risk for Infection 3. 6 Sickle Cell Anemia Crisis Nursing Care Plans
See more on nurseslabs.com

Assessment

  • Patientsare asked to recall factors that seemed to precipitate pre-vious crises andmeasures they use to prevent and manage crises. Pain levels should always bemonitored; a pain-rating scale, such as a 0-to-10 scale, best accomplishesthis. The quality of the pain (eg, sharp, dull, burning), the frequency of thepain (constant ver-sus intermittent), and factors that aggravate or alleviatet…
See more on brainkart.com

Diagnosis

  • NURSING DIAGNOSES
    Basedon the assessment data, major nursing diagnoses for the patient with sicklecell crisis may include: •Acute pain related to tissue hypoxia due toagglutination of sickled cells within blood vessels •Risk for infection •Risk for powerlessness related to illness-inducedhelplessness •Defici…
  • COLLABORATIVE PROBLEMS/POTENTIALCOMPLICATIONS
    Basedon the assessment data, potential complications may include: •Hypoxia, ischemia, infection, and poor woundhealing lead-ing to skin breakdown and ulcers •Dehydration •Cerebrovascular accident (CVA, brain attack,stroke) •Anemia •Renal dysfunction •Heart failure, pulmonary hypert…
See more on brainkart.com

Planningand Goals

  • Themajor goals for the patient are relief of pain, decreased inci-dence of crisis,enhanced sense of self-esteem and power, and ab-sence of complications.
See more on brainkart.com

Nursinginterventions

  • MANAGING PAIN
    Acutepain during a sickle cell crisis can be severe and unpre-dictable. The patient’ssubjective description and rating of pain on a pain scale must guide the use ofanalgesics, which are valu-able in controlling the acute pain of a sicklecrisis. Any joint that is acutely swollen should be sup…
  • PREVENTING AND MANAGING INFECTION
    Nursingcare focuses on monitoring the patient for signs and symp-toms of infection.Prescribed antibiotics should be initiated promptly, and the patient should beassessed for signs of dehydra-tion. If the patient is to take prescribed oralantibiotics at home, he or she must understand the n…
See more on brainkart.com

Evaluation

  • EXPECTED PATIENT OUTCOMES
    Expectedpatient outcomes may include: 1)Control of pain a)Acute pain is controlled with analgesics b)Uses relaxation techniques, breathing exercises,distrac-tion to help relieve pain 2)Is free of infection a)Has normal temperature b)Shows WBC count withinnormal range (5000 to 10…
See more on brainkart.com