Case Study
Aim of assessment
The aim of this assessment is to increase students’ understanding of how microorganisms can cause
health breakdown, and the role of relevant pharmacological interventions in the recovery processes.
Students will explore various modes of transmission, relevant characteristics of pathogens and the
importance of breaking the chain of infection. This assessment facilitates the development of the
following skills: critical appraisal of the nurse’s role in infection control, literature searching, and
academic writing and referencing.
Details
Students are provided with a hypothetical case study to read and answer questions relating to it.
Students should draw on relevant literature to support their answers and use the APA style for
references. Please note that each answer can be between 160 and 280 words but the total word
count (excluding references) for all answers should not exceed 1200 words.
Case Study:
Mary Smith, 21 years old, is admitted to the ward with an infected laceration on her left foot. Mary was
at a beach resort four days ago, when she trod on a broken glass bottle and sustained a deep 2 cm
long jagged laceration over the lateral aspect of her left foot. She used her handkerchief to bandage
the wound. This morning the wound was extremely painful, swollen and had a discharge that had an
unpleasant smell.
On inspection of the wound the following observations were made:
Painful and gaping wound that felt warm when touched, with red and swollen edges.
Purulent discharge.
Awound swab was taken for culture and sensitivity. A stat dose of ceftriaxone 1g was administered
IVI immediately.
She was then commenced on oral cephalexin 5oomg to be taken every 6 hours before being sent
home.
Answer the following questions:
1. Describe the physiological basis for the appearance of Mary’s wound.(10 Marks)
2. Explain TWO likely sources for the contamination of the wound and the mode of transmission
of the microorganism from each source.(10 Marks)
Culture and sensitivity test confirmed the microorganism infecting the wound to be Staphylococcus
aureus. The drug cephalexin was discontinued and replaced with oral dicloxacillin 500 mg every 6
hours.
3. Explain the rationale for the initial choice of antibiotics, and then indicate why the subsequent
change in antibiotic therapy. State any TWO common adverse reactions to dicloxacillin (10
Marks)
4. Describe the process by which Mary’s wound will heal.(5 Marks)
PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET AN AMAZING DISCOUNT 🙂