A 90-year-old nursing home resident presents with confusion…

A 90-year-old nursing home resident presents with confusion and a cough after several days of complaining of being weak. She is bedridden, has numerous medical conditions, and takes a variety of medications. Your assessment reveals that her temperature is 101.1°F, her skin is cool and dry, her blood pressure is 118/66 mm Hg, and her heart rate is 68 beats/min and regular. She is not experiencing obvious respiratory distress, and her oxygen saturation is 93% on room air. This patient is MOST likely experiencing:

You are dispatched to a residence for an elderly man with an…

You are dispatched to a residence for an elderly man with an altered mental status. As you are assessing the patient, his wife tells you that he goes to dialysis several times a week, but has missed his last three treatments because their car broke down. The patient’s skin is yellow, his blood pressure is 98/60 mm Hg, and his pulse rate is 118 beats/min. The ECG reveals sinus tachycardia with peaked T waves. You should be MOST concerned with the potential for:

You receive a call to an apartment complex for a patient wit…

You receive a call to an apartment complex for a patient with an unknown behavioral problem. The scene has been secured by law enforcement prior to your arrival. The patient, a 39-year-old man, appears very anxious and worried. He tells you that he has obsessive-compulsive disorder and stopped taking his prescribed medication a week ago because he did not like its side effects. He tells you that he has had fleeting thoughts of suicide, but denies homicidal thoughts. You should:

A 51-year-old man with type 2 diabetes presents with confusi…

A 51-year-old man with type 2 diabetes presents with confusion, blurred vision, and signs of significant dehydration. According to the man’s wife, he has had a fever and flu-like symptoms for the past few days. She further tells you that he has “stuck to his diet” as advised by his physician. His blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg, pulse is 120 beats/min and weak, and respirations are rapid and shallow. You assess his blood glucose level, which reads “high.” This patient is MOST likely: