DISCHARGE PLAN

GORDON'S HEALTH PATTERN

A. HEALTH PERCEPTION - HEALTH MANAGEMENT PATTERN
• Mrs. ET knew of her health problem and its consequences. What could be
done before she gets home is to enforce her understanding of her condition
so that she would have better control. She should be educated regarding the
signs and symptoms of her disease so she could see the doctor right away.
• She should always be reminded that her condition is very sensitive and those
little problems, may those be directly or indirectly affecting her heart problem
should be reported.
• If Mrs. ET desired to take any herbal drugs, she should be advised to consult
the doctor before trying those alternatives or supplements.
 Encourage patient to continue her ways of managing her health which are by
reporting it immediately to her husband then to health care providers; taking
medications prescribed by her physician; and having adequate rest and
sleep.
 Advice the patient to take the prescribed drug at the right time, dosage,
frequency, and duration. Complying medicines according on how it is
prescribed will aid in faster recovery and may avoid further possible
complications of the disease.
 Advice not to smoke, not to use illegal drugs or not to abuse prescribed
stimulant medications, and to continue not to take caffeine and alcohol
because these may lead to more complicated condition.
B. NUTRITION - METABOLISM PATTERN
• Mrs. ET should greatly consider her heart condition. Low fat and low salt diet
should be strictly followed. Since the patient has a heart related problem,
developing plaques from cholesterol deposits would stress out the heart from
exerting much effort in pumping out blood. On the other hand, having a high
salt intake would promote water and sodium retention which would cause
edema to reoccur.
 Mineral balance plays an important role in regulating heartbeat. Diet
high in fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids) helps reduce the likelihood of fatal heart
 arrhythmia sometimes associated with heart attack.
 Stick to herbal brews.
 Encourage to increase consumption of foods rich in vitamin C to boost
the immune system.
 In maintenance, patient must be encouraged to consume enough
magnesium in her diet to live long and healthy.
C. ELIMINATION PATTERN
• Mrs. ET did not have any problem in elimination during her stay in the
hospital except her frequency in urination. However, this problem should not
be ignored since the loss of potassium from her body through the urine could
make her dysrhythmia and her digitalis toxicity worse. What she could do is
to seek medical help if the problem still exists at home. Regarding her bowel
movement, a laxative can be prescribed by the doctor if ever she experience
constipation. This is to prevent her from straining which can cause additional
trauma to the heart. A diet rich in fiber would prevent this from occurring.
D. ACTIVITY-EXERCISE PATTERN
• Mrs. ET’s condition concerns circulation. In her case, simple common
exercises would not be applicable. Since she has a cardiac dysrhythmia, any
activity that would cause her heart to pump harder would aggravate her
condition. However, being inactive all the time would put her at risk for
thrombosis. What the patient could do is to have a plan for her daily
activities. Since she has a three-meter dyspnea, she could have at least a
one meter walk every hour during the day to keep a good blood circulation
on her body especially on her lower extremities.
• Regarding the daily chores, she should leave it to her husband. She should
also put her things close to her bed to save her energy.
 Educate and warn the client about the effects of high level of stress to her
condition.
E. SLEEP-REST PATTERN
 Encourage adequate sleep and rest everyday to conserve her energy. From
4-6 hours of her daily sleep, she can increase it to 7-8 hours daily.
 Advice to take naps every time she feels sleepy.
  Position bed to moderate high back rest to aid in normal blood circulation
and to prevent accumulation of fluids in pericardial and lung area.
F. COGNITIVE - PERCEPTUAL PATTERN
 Teach how to identify potential problems and changes in her physical
structure and perception towards her problems
 Identify and reduce risk factors— a number of factors increase the risk of
developing heart disease. Reducing or eliminating these risk factors can be
helpful to prevent further complications.
G. ROLES - RELATIONSHIPS PATTERN
 Encourage client to continue to have good family relationship among her
children, her husband and relatives as well as their neighbors.
 Advice to take only few responsibilities that she could handle and avoid
stress in performing her roles as a mother and a wife in their house.
H. SELF PERCEPTION - SELF CONCEPT PATTERN
 Teach client that her perceptions toward herself have great effect on her
current condition. So better perceptions and positive outlook towards her
condition would lessen her worries and suffering.
I. COPING – STRESS TOLERANCE
 Encourage client to remain calm in dealing with her problems. By remaining
calm, she would solve her problems appropriately and effectively.
 Advice to seek immediate help from the health care providers every time she
experienced the symptoms of her cardiac problem.
 Encourage to go to the scheduled date of follow up check up. Compliance
for follow up check up will be helpful in monitoring the condition of the client.
J. VALUES – BELIEFS PATTERN
 Encourage client and relatives to continue their good beliefs and practices
especially when they are beneficial to her condition.