Case Study
Ms. Coburn is a 26-year-old schoolteacher. Her maternal grandparents immigrated to America from Brazil. She smokes one pack of cigarettes a day and has smoked since she was 16. She is 20 lbs. overweight. She made an appointment at the clinic where you work because she started to have headaches and frequently felt tired.
During the clinic visit, the nurse assesses Ms. Coburn's symptoms. The nurse asks Ms. Coburn about her headache and fatigue, then takes her vital signs.
• Temperature: 98° Fahrenheit
• Respiratory rate: 14 breaths per minute
• Pulse: 86 beats per minute
• Blood pressure: 164/98 mm Hg.
Ms. Coburn asks, “I think my blood pressure is close to where it was the last time. Is that okay?”
The nurse responds, “Your blood pressure is pretty high right now. After you see the nurse practitioner today, I am going to take your blood pressure again. We are also going to talk about the changes you can begin to make to help you be healthier and feel better.”
- What assessment findings are provided?
- What other objective data will you collect?
- What other subjective data will you collect?
- How would you respond to Ms. Coburn's question?