Nursing Case Study
Name
Course
Nursing Case Study
, Nursing Case Study 2
Case Study 1
Ms. A is a woman of reproductive age who normally undergoes the menstrual cycle.
However, her condition is complicated by abnormal bleeding. During her menses, she
experiences excessive bleeding accompanied by unbearable pains. Women of reproductive age
who have completed puberty rarely experience such unbearable pain as they experience
menstrual bleeding (Schumacher et al, 2012). She is forced to use aspirin to make her feel
relieved of the pain. Aspirin is an NSAID that acts on the prostaglandins that mediate pain to
offer relief; at the same time, they prevent blood clotting by acting on the thromboxane pathway.
For this reason, her bleeding is likely to be heavier as blood clotting pathway is relatively altered.
Anemia results from increased blood loss, reduced synthesis due to bone marrow issues
or inadequate substrate and also from increased degradation of red blood cells within the body.
To treat anemia, it is necessary to identify the cause and the type of anemia (Acute Blood Loss
Anemia, 2015). Each of them has a unique strategy that is used for the treatment. Symptomatic
relief is always offered by transfusing the patient with recommended number of pints.
Diagnosis of anemia is crucial in the identification of the type. A full hemogram and a
peripheral blood film are the first requested lab studies that are performed on a blood sample so
as to aid in the diagnosis. Ms. A presents with symptoms of inadequate perfusion of tissues; this
is due to inability of her red blood to carry enough blood to target tissues for respiration. Her
symptoms worsen during menstrual bleeding suggesting that the noxious agent peaks at this
moment. This shows that her anemia is due to hemorrhage. Her hemoglobin is 8 g/dl compared
to the minimal normal level of 11g/dl. Her hematocrit is less than 40%. These are confirmatory