Case Study: Dengue shock Syndrome (grade IV)

Abstract

          Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a major health problem because it spreads rapidly on the population. The untreated patient may suffer for a serious consequence from the dengue shock syndrome. The appropriate treatments are needed to protect them from a prolonged shock stage. The negative outcomes of DHF include bleeding and may damage many organs such as liver, kidney, and brain. Eventually, patients may die from a shock stage. As a result, nurses need to be knowledgeable and skillful in close investigation. Nurses need to be able to perform effective caring, especially during emergency care, to decrease mortality rate and complication rate among DHF patients.

          The purpose of this study was to examine DHF in a 14 year-of-age female adolescent. This patient was initially diagnosed as Hypovolumic Shock. According to her medical history, she had a fever for 2 days. Then, she consumed antipyretic drug (paracetamol) at home. She did not get any treatment prior to this current admission. Before admission, she reported 6 vomits, severe stomach pain, and a weakness. Therefore, her cousins took her to a hospital. At an investigating room, her hands and foots were freezing. Capillary refill was more than 3 seconds, and loss of pulse and blood pressure. After assessing the patient’s data using Gordon’s Health Assessment Pattern, the nursing diagnoses were concluded as follows: Patient performed a failure blood circulation due to acute loss of plasma; Patient performed risky of internal bleeding; Patient was in electrolyte imbalance, particularly hypocalcemia; Patient’s kidney functioned ineffectively; Patient took a risk of brain damage due to hepatic failure; Patient’s blood circulation functioned improperly; Patient’s family were anxious due to her illness; and there might be an epidemiology of DHF in family and nearby community.

          This patient was under an effectively continuous care of a multidisciplinary team.This enabled the patient to take a lower risk, and therefore, patient got well quickly.The last diagnosis was DHF grade IV (a severe DHF). Her length of stay was 4 days. Subsequently, this patient was discharged from the hospital without any disability.