Week 8 Discussion

Mr. Johnson, a 78-year-old male, is admitted to the medical-surgical unit with a history of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and complains of recurrent epigastric pain and discomfort. He has a medical history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Mr. Johnson is currently taking antihypertensive medications, oral hypoglycemics, and a diuretic. His recent endoscopy confirms the presence of a duodenal ulcer.

Upon admission, the healthcare team prescribes Mr. Johnson a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and an H2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) to manage his peptic ulcer and reduce gastric acid secretion. The nursing team is responsible for coordinating and administering the antiulcer medications while considering Mr. Johnson's age, comorbidities, and concurrent medications.

1. Polypharmacy Management:
   
   • Given Mr. Johnson's multiple chronic conditions and medications, how would you address concerns related to polypharmacy and ensure the safe administration of antiulcer medications?
2. Patient Education:
   
   • What key information would you provide to Mr. Johnson regarding the purpose of the prescribed PPI and H2RA, potential side effects, and the importance of medication adherence?
3. Monitoring for Adverse Effects:
   
   • What specific adverse effects would you monitor for while Mr. Johnson is on antiulcer medications, and how would you adjust the nursing care plan accordingly?

Submission Instructions:

• Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources. Your initial post is worth 8 points.
• You should respond to at least two of your peers by extending, refuting/correcting, or adding additional nuance to their posts. Your reply posts are worth 2 points (1 point per response.) 
• All replies must be constructive and use literature where possible.
• Please post your initial response by 11:59 PM ET Thursday, and comment on the posts of two classmates by 11:59 PM ET Sunday.
• You can expect feedback from the instructor within 48 to 72 hours from the Sunday due date.