AnthonyM83 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Taken from one of my instructors (and possibly modified). You are called to the home of an elderly female by family who visits her often. They tell you she has a history of Alzheimer's, but they think she is getting worse and needs to go to ER to be evaluated. You ask why and they state she keeps constantly scrubbing at the bathroom floor several times a day stating it's not clean (they tell you it's spotless). And her behavior has just been a little off. She's been a bit out of it, last couple days. Nearest ER is 45 minutes (so you have time to solve the mystery). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmy Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 UTI? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireMedic65 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Sounds like free cleaning service if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief1C Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Okay, the family visits often, but does this elderly Alzheimer's patient live alone the rest of the time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERDoc Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Let's talk to the patient. Does she have any complaints? What is her mental status? Question the family further. Obviously, get the usual medical history. Any recent stressful events or changes in her life? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonyM83 Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 -Negative UTI -Yes, she lives alone. It has been early stages of Alzheimer's. -Patient only complains of a headache and some nausea. You do notice her house is extremely well-kept. No recent stresses, except maybe recently stopped smoking at her family's request (no patch). Family is not very medical savvy, but tells you she had heart problems, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and early stage Alzheimer's. The patient herself is oriented to name and location. Thinks it's 1978. She is a bit lethargic, too, but can converse with some prompting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Is her name Deputy Paul Schene of the Seattle Police Department, and did she recently respond to a detainee's exercise of her Constitutional right to free expression by slamming said detainee's head against a wall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Caesar Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Just thinking, anything special about what she has been cleaning with? Any chance that her mixing cleaners/inhaling vapors could be making her situation worse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief1C Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 What kind of heat does she use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonyM83 Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Good questions. She's cleaning with a basic soap solution and her heating system is working properly. Continue with the regular assessments/procedures you'd do on your patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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