Question

Maria is a 6-year-old girl diagnosed with end-stage osteosarcoma. She is one of 11 children to a large Hispanic family. A hospice nurse has been assigned to the family and notices that the patient’s room is filled with multiple family members. Maria has vomited on the bed from side effects of medication. 1. What should the nurse do next? 2. How can the nurse help with spiritual needs of the patient and family? 3. List examples of what constitutes cold and hot illnesses.

1. What should the nurse do next?
2. How can the nurse help with spiritual needs of the patient and family?
3. List examples of what constitutes cold and hot illnesses.

Answer 1

Osteosarcoma

• It is cancer that attacks the connective tissue like bone.
• It produces immature bone.
• The most common type of cancer that arises in bones
• Usually, a tumor found at the end of long bones, often around the knee.
• Attack people under the age of 25.
• Treatment - the combination of therapies that can include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

What should the nurse do next?

Maria patient is diagnosed with end-stage osteosarcoma. She is receiving a heavy dosage of medication as part of treatment like in chemotherapy. Side effects are common after this.

1. The nurse should first take the patient to the washroom so that if she likes to vomit more.
2. To change her taste and to keep her hydrated , the nurse should provide her with energy glucose powder or any electrolyte powder.
3. After changing the bedsheet , the nurse should make the patient comfortable on the bed first. After that, she must tell the patient about the side-effect of medicines as the patient is suffering from and try to keep the patient calm.
4. As mentioned in the above case, the room is occupied by many family members, the nurse must tell them with respect for the patient's condition as Maria needs to be rest.

How can the nurse help with the spiritual needs of the patient and family?

The patient's family is Hispanic having lots of beliefs and following religious cultures. The most common spiritual needs of a family with a cancer patient are being with family and cited prayer as frequently or always a need. Spirituality suggests the need for a relationship with God; the need for a relationship with the self; the need for a relationship with others; and the need for a relationship with the environment and nature.

A nurse should respect family spirituality needs and allow members of the family to spend time with Maria. The nurse should not restrict the entry of family members in the room as it is filled by family members mentioned in the above case. It is believed that spirituality helps to improve the condition of the patient.

3. List examples of what constitutes cold and hot illnesses.

An imbalance between 2 touches of humor: hot and cold results in illness according to the Hispanic theory of disease.

Cold diseases are treated with hot remedies, while hot diseases are treated with cool or cold remedies.

Examples:

• Arthritis-cold
• common cold-cold
• constipation-hot
• fever-hot
• menstrual pain-cold
• pregnancy-hot
• rashes-hot
• ulcer-hot