NURS1000-Foundations of Nursing Practice

Unit Learning Outcomes Assessed

1. Apply appropriate communication processes within simulated clinical environments.

2. Utilise a health assessment framework on an individual, within a simulated clinical environment.

Case study

Mr. Daniel Martin is a 55-year-old man who is divorced from his wife Emily. He has no contact with Emily or her family. He works as a Banking Executive in the city and he is required to fly to other Australian capital cities for meetings, at least monthly. 

Daniel owns an apartment within a secure block, overlooking the ocean. He has two sons from his marriage, David, 22 and Jonathon, 20 who he sees every month when they go out on his boat.

Daniel is expected to entertain national and international guests associated with his work and he does most of this entertaining on this boat as he feels it is easier for him than having guests at his apartment. There is always plenty of food and alcohol available for Daniel and his guests on these occasions.

After his last trip to Melbourne, Daniel went to his doctor for a routine, work medical check. His doctor found that he had an irregular heartbeat and one coronary artery had a 25% blockage in it. Daniel has a family history of heart disease and his father died of a stroke. His blood pressure was 165/100 at this assessment

He has a Waist to Height Ratio of 0.62 based on his height of 186 cm and waist measurement of 115cm. Daniel’s weight has been stable at 100kg for many years.

The Doctor has asked you to speak to Daniel to get more information about his health.

1. Identify the purpose of a functional health assessment and state why it would be used in this scenario.

2. Which four (4) areas of Daniel’s functional health assessment would you focus on when conducting this health assessment? What is your rationale for selecting these?

3. Often on review of information from a health history, we can identify areas that may need further exploration. Identify three (3) questions you could have asked Daniel to gather further detail about the issues you described in Question 3. State your rationale for asking these questions.

4. Provide two strategies for effective communication that you would use with Daniel. Describe how you would use these when communicating with him?

5. Discuss two non-verbal communication techniques that you would use in conducting this health history. Provide an evidence-based rationale to support each of the techniques and give a brief explanation of why you would use them.