#nurse learning

Clostridium difficile aka C. diff review for nurses & nursing students with podcast

C. Difficile Infection

Clostridium difficile, usually referred to as C. diff., is a bacterium that causes diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems. A spore-forming bacterium, C. difficile is part of the normal microflora of intestine of about 66% of children and 3% of healthy adults. C. diff infections are common in the elderly population, and in hospital and chronic care settings.…

Esophageal Varices – Pathophysiology, Podcast, and Nursing Care Plan

Esophageal Varices

The esophagus is what connects your throat to your stomach. Esophageal varices are enlarged and abnormal veins located in the lower part of the esophagus. This condition is usually seen in patients with liver disease. When normal blood flow to the liver is blocked by scar tissue or even a clot, varices begin to develop.

Blood will start bypass the larger vessels due to the…

Colon Cancer – Pathophysiology, Podcast, and Nursing Care Plan

Colon Cancer

  Colon cancer attacks the large intestine. If the cancer is seen in the last few inches of the colon, it is referred to as rectal cancer.  It is not uncommon to hear the term colorectal cancer when speaking about colon cancer. Usually colon cancer starts as benign (noncancerous) collections of cells referred to as polyps. As time progresses, these polyps may become cancerous. Polyps…

Crohn’s Disease Pathophysiology, Podcast, & Nursing Care Plan

Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s Disease is classified as an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The inflammation caused by Crohn’s disease can cause the patient to have abdominal pain, malnutrition, weight loss, severe diarrhea and even fatigue. Crohn’s can lead to scarring, abscesses, fistulas, and ulcerations in the intestine. It is also characterized by remissions and exacerbation’s.

Sign and symptoms…

Cholecystitis – Pathophysiology

What is Cholecystitis:

  Cholecystitis is defined as inflammation of the gallbladder. Usually due to a gallstone that blocks the cystic duct. Once the duct is blocked, the bile builds up which will cause irritation and swelling of the gallbladder. This can cause infection.

    The other causes include:

Tumors

Blockage due to scarring or kinking of cystic duct.

Diabetes

HIV

Risk Factors:

Female

P…

Ulcerative Colitis Pathophysiology, Podcast, and Nursing Care Plan

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is an illness that is characterized by inflammation in the lining of the colon and rectum, Crohn’s disease is a similar condition and both are a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Ulcerative colitis causes chronic ulcers and inflammation in the digestive tract, resulting in poor absorption of nutrients.

As the colon becomes swollen (edema), ulcers &…

Bowel Obstructions – Pathophysiology, Nursing Care Plan, and Podcast

Bowel Obstruction

Bowel obstruction means an intestinal obstruction. On the other hand, we can say that in a bowel obstruction, there is a blockage that prevents the necessary body nutrients and waste products to flow correctly through the gastrointestinal tract. The blockage can happen in the upper portion or the lower portion of the intestine. A tumor or even swelling in the intestine can cause…

Appendicitis – Pathophysiology, Podcast, and Nursing Care Plan

Appendicitis

The appendix is a small appendage that is located at the beginning of the large intestine. Appendicitis is an inflammation to the inner lining of the appendix most often occurring in patients between age 10 – 30. Appendicitis is thought to start when the appendix becomes blocked by feces, a foreign body, or sometimes even a tumor.

   Complications

Serious complications can develop…