Reference no: EM133603173

Question

An elderly patient was admitted post-operatively following a fall at home, resulting in a fractured neck of femur. Past medical history and pathology were uncomplicated. Within 24 hours, the patient was confused and trying to get out of bed. Nurse A noted the decline in mental functioning in the patient's notes but did not request a clinical review. Nurse B cared for the patient overnight. In the morning, she verbally notified the surgical intern that the client was 'a typical older person making a nuisance of themselves trying to get out of bed all night and not sleeping. I fixed it by raising the bed rails and giving them sadative and pain relief medication. The surgical inter requested the medical registrar come to the ward and review the client. This was not followed up for 16 hours, by which time the client was confused and had become dehydrated. The client was diagnosed with delirium secondary to urinary sepsis and transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). While in ICU, the client went into heart and kidney failure and died.