Competency Validation

Practice Exercises II: PROBLEM SOLVING

Page | 1 Competency Statement The student identifies and defines problems, develops strategies and selects appropriate solutions to produce desired outcomes. The student demonstrated the ability to do the following: 1. Describe the problem clearly and precisely. 2. Focus on controllable problems. 3. Identify strategies that are plausible. 4. Use scientific principles and rationale to develop alternative course of action.

(Individual work)

SCENARIO: Identifying Problem Solving Methods Frank Fellow is a 72 year old man who was admitted to the step- down unit from intensive coronary care 24 hours after cardioversion. Patient education is to include self- administration of Heparin 5 000 units subcutaneously twice a day. The patient has a visual impairment and is experiencing difficulty drawing the correct dosage of medication from the vial. He can administer the injection independently. During the evening while you are teaching the patient and his wife, the patient complains of left- sided chest pain rated at 5 on a 0 to 10 scale. He is moderately short of breath. Upon hearing his complains of shortness of breath, his spouse becomes frantic and tearful. 1. Underline the problem in the scenario. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 2. Identify the alternatives. What should the nurse do? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

(Group work)

SCENARIO: Detecting Errors in the Problem Solving Process Situation: Don Smith is a 67 year old patient on a medical floor admitted with Pneumonia. He calls the nurses station to complain of indigestion. His nurse obtains his medication administration record (MAR) and administers the Mylanta ordered as needed (PRN). Page | 2 The nurse continues with the med pass. Upon returning to Mr. Smiths room an hour later, the nurse notes that Mr. Smith is pale and diaphoretic and that he is clutching his chest.

What error in the problem solving process is the nurse making? ________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ What would be a strategy to remedy this error? ________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Dante is the charge nurse on a busy medical floor. He has been informed by the administration that his unit has failed to document adequately the weights of patients with Congestive Heart Failure. Dante creates a new procedure for this documentation. He posts copies explaining the change in the break room. An in- service is conducted at 2:00 pm that day to explain further the importance of following the procedure. Dante assumes that the procedure is being followed. At the end of 3 months, Dante is surprised when his supervisor reveals the statistics. There was increased compliance in the week following the in- service, but within a few weeks, documentation has slipped even lower levels than previously noted.

What error in the problem solving process is Dante making? ________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ What would be a strategy to remedy this error? ________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Note: Present your answers using the following format: FONT: Arial FONT SIZE: 12 SPACING: 1.5 MARGIN: 1 (Top); 1 (Bottom); 1 (Right); 1.5 (Left) ORIENTATION: Portrait PAGE SIZE: 8.5 x 11