How might her nutrition status be affected by her inability to communicat effectively? What suggestions may help?

How might her nutrition status be affected by her inability to communicat effectively? What suggestions may help?

Category:
February 23, 2022
3 Views
0
0

Consider the nutrition problems that may develop in a 36-year-old woman with a malignant brain tumor that affects her ability to move the right side of her body (including the tongue) and to speak coherently. She is taking a pain medication that makes her nauseated and sleepy. Her expected survival time is only about 6 months.

If she is right-handed, how might her impairment interfere with eating? What suggestions do you have for overcoming this problem?
How might her nutrition status be affected by her inability to communicat effectively? What suggestions may help?
In what ways might the pain medication she is taking affect her nutrition status?

Answer and ExplanationSolution by a verified expert

Here is a tip:
The consequences of a tumor depend on the severity of the treatment regimen followed.

Explanation
The tumor affects the GI tract, causing nausea, vomiting, early satiety, delayed gastric emptying, overgrowth of bacteria in that part, and difficulty in eating. The tumor affected the right side of the body. It may have partially or completely obstructed the right side of the GI [gastrointestinal] tract. The patient might be unable to move their right hand, which can make it difficult to eat properly. Lack of adequate food consumption may lead to impaired nutritional status. Impaired muscle functionality in the face, tongue, and neck region makes it difficult to swallow or chew the food.

The patient might not be able to communicate properly because of the impaired muscles in the tongue. Intake of small and frequent liquid meals would help ease the feeling of nausea and vomiting. Solid and hard foods should be converted into pureed, liquid, or mashed forms. Avoiding fatty foods would reduce digestive problems. Sipping water throughout the day would relieve constipation. Consuming nutrient-dense snacks in a pleasant environment would help enhance the appetite. Certain equipment would help the patient with reduced hand mobility to consume food. For instance, a feeding aid designed as an arm extension can be provided to individuals with limited hand movement. Patients should be covered in a protective clothing layer to avoid spilling food. Food should be served in unbreakable utensils as it would be easier to handle and chances of injury would reduce. Using light-weight utensils and holding them with utensil holders could increase food intake.

Patients with tumors get tired easily and have less energy to eat and speak. Healthy body-weight maintenance is required throughout the patient's life, and excessive weight gain must be avoided. If the patient is unable to speak properly, it becomes difficult to ask for a meal when feeling hungry. It would also be difficult to communicate their needs to the healthcare professional. The caregiver should pay closer attention to the patient's needs and demands. Consulting a speech pathologist would help increase the movement of the tongue and facial muscles. This would increase their ability to speak, chew, and swallow food. The patient can also make use of non-verbal communication like hand gestures or writing to communicate.

Pain medications also make the patient sleepy, which may lead to skipping meals. The patient may also feel nauseated after taking pain medicines. It may induce vomiting and promote nutrient loss. The medications and treatment regimen cause an alteration in the taste by damaging the taste buds. Heavy doses can potentially cause diarrhea, which leads to poor intake and loss of nutrients. This can decrease the nutritional level of the body.

Sample Response
The uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the brain leads to the formation of a cancerous mass known as a tumor. The tumor utilizes the stored nutrients in the body. This leads to weight loss and wasting.

Right-sided hemiplegia may cause difficulty in eating and performing other activities if the patient's right side of the body is dominant. In such cases, the patient can be provided rehabilitation and physiotherapy that helps the patient to make use of the left side of the body. Spoons and other devices can have a larger handle which will help the patient get a stronger grip while eating.

The patient's right-hand movement may get affected by paralysis. The tumor can paralyze facial muscles and affect swallowing ability. The movement of the tongue might also get affected. A speech therapist and non-verbal means of communication can be used.

The analgesic medication can alter the taste, cause drowsiness, bloating, and diarrhea [which can cause loss of nutrients], and affect the nutritional level of the body.

Purchase this answer to view it.
Click the button to login/signup and buy full solution at 2 USD only.

The Best Research Paper Writing Service

Would you want to pay someone to write your paper professionally from scratch? 100% Original and 0% AI Content!.

🎓 Write my Essay
📚 Write my Persuasive Essay
📋 Humanize AI Content for Turnitin
💻 Write my Reflective Essay
📑 Write my Research Paper
📜 Write my Thesis Paper
📘 Write my Dissertation
📋 Write my Case Study
📝 Write my Online Exam
✒️ Write my Term Paper
Write my Paper