Case study
I was working in ABC hospital as a nurse for the past few weeks and one condition caught my eyes. A child was admitted with red skin rashes all over his body and I suspected it to be fifth disease. Although I have learnt about fifth disease in my course, I have never experienced it before. The mother of the child said that her son had fever, running nose, was vomiting for the past four days. Upon examining the child, he had bright red rashes on the cheeks and it looked like it was a “slapped” cheek. The body of the child had also the rashes on the legs, arms, trunk and the rashes has a lacy appearance
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Background history
The mother of the child narrated how his son, who is a pupil at Jefferson Elementary school came back from school four days ago with a mysterious rash. She called their teacher and their teacher informed her many children in his class are suffering from fifth disease. Given that she has never heard of the disease, she went to the nearby chemist and purchased medicine for skin rushes. However, as days passed by and the health condition of the child deteriorated, she brought him to the hospital for check-up and treatment.
Evaluation and diagnosis
According to MGH (2015), the incubation period of fifth disease ranges between 4-28 days and the rashes usually lasts 1-3 weeks. This means that the child was within the incubation period and therefore evaluation and examination could provide accurate results. KidsHealth (2015) pointed out that diagnosis of fifth disease is usually done from the distinctive rashes on the body and face if the child. The health care provider should do a complete physical examination and medical history of the child. Similarly, CDC (2015) suggested that blood tests could be performed to see if there is presence of parvovirus B19 in the blood of the patient
From the unique rashes on the body often child, it was evident the child was ailing from fifth disease. However, when blood tests was done, the results indicated presence of the parvovirus B19 in the blood of the child
Treatment plan
MGH (2015) pointed out that fifth disease among children is caused by a virus. However, despite the fact that there exists antiviral medicines, currently there is none available that is able to treat fifth disease. Furthermore, in most cases of fifth disease, there exists mild illnesses that medicine is not even necessary.
KidsHealth (2015) suggested that normally children with fifth disease need little home treatment and feel fairly well other than some rest. After the mild cold symptoms and fever have passed, there is little to treat except the discomfort from the rashes on the skin.
The goal of my treatment plan was to help reduce the fifth disease symptoms since there is no cure for the viral infection of fifth disease. The treatment plan in the case scenario included the following:
- Drinking of more fluids
- the child has some itching from the fifth disease rash and therefore to relieve discomfort, I recommended antihistamine for itching
- I also recommended acetaminophen or ibuprofen for joint pain and for fever.
Cultural diversity issues
Culture is a learned and transmitted practices, beliefs and values of a particular group of people that guide their actions, thinking and decisions in pattered ways (MedScape, 2015).the associated behaviours with response to illness such as pain, fear, and anxiety and determined culturally. MedScape (2015) gave an example of some cultures where the role of the sick is no longer valid after the disappearance of the symptoms. Therefore, the continuous need for care is a challenge when dealing with the patients whose symptoms have disappeared.
In the case scenario, there was a cultural diversity issue when the patient stopped coming for check-ups after the symptoms have subsided.
Patient outcomes
The child recovered with no complications. The itching stopped, rashes disappeared and other accompanying symptoms disappeared and the child went back to his normal activities.
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