Judy and Karen Jones
Overview
Judy Jones is an 85-year-old widow. Joseph, her husband of 50 years, died seven years ago. Three years ago Judy was diagnosed with mild dementia, and her oldest daughter, Karen, moved back into the family home to provide support for her mother. Judy also has two sons who live about an hour away. Karen works as a teacher in the local public school, and Judy has been able to stay home alone during the day while Karen is at work.
Monologue
As Judy is being admitted to the hospital with an upper respiratory tract infection, her daughter Karen describes her mother's recent increasing forgetfulness and need for more assistance with activities of daily living. Karen is feeling very guilty about not realizing how sick her mother was, and is showing signs of caregiver strain. She states that she thought her Mom only had a cold and was annoyed because she was unable to sleep well because her Mom was coughing so much during the night.
This scenario takes place 24 hours after Judy was admitted to a medical/surgical unit. An x-ray confirms a diagnosis of pneumonia. Judy has been getting out of bed and crawling on the floor trying to get the small children that are crying out from under her bed. The nurse will be expected to conduct a respiratory assessment and implement appropriate respiratory care interventions. The nurse will also assess Judy's orientation using the Mini-Cog and CAM tools and will review her medications using the Beers Criteria.
Finish the Story Assignment
Learners have now seen Judy at three snapshots in time. What do they think his life will be like three months from now?
Author Information
Jean Byrd, MSN, RN, CNE
Community College of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
The Jenny and Karen Jones unfolding case content was reviewed in 2024.