Case Notes 4.3 Henry O’Keefe

OCCUPATIONAL ENGLISH TEST

WRITING SUB-TEST: Nursing

TIME ALLOWED:

READING TIME: 5 MINUTES;
WRITING TIME: 40 MINUTES

Read the case notes below and complete the writing task which follows.

NOTES:

You are a nurse with the Blue Skies Home Nursing Centre. You visited this patient at home today for the first time following a referral from the Mater Public Hospital. He was discharged from hospital on 01/10/2023.

• Name: Henry O’Keefe
• Address: 12 Donaldson Street, Green Slopes, 4121; Phone: (07) 3941 2267
• Date of Birth: 2 February 1940
• Admitted: 27/09/2023
• Diagnosis: Malignant Melanoma (Left Shoulder)

Family History

• Married aged pensioner.
• Lives in housing commission home with wife Dorothy (also an aged pensioner).
• No children.

Medical History

• Large lesion successfully removed 28/09/2023. Discharged 01/10/2023
• Needs assistance with showering and to dress wound prior to removal of sutures at Mater Public Hospital on 09/10/2023

03/10/2023 1st Home visit

• Showered patient.
• Wound dressed – healing satisfactory.
• No sign of infection.
• Balance a little shaky – complaining of increased arthritic pains in hands and legs.
• Taking Glucosamine & Chondroitin Supplement recommended by GP.
• Pain relieved with 3 Panadol 2 times daily.
• Confused about why he had operation.
• Dorothy concerned about future.
• Tells you she will be 83 in October. Says Henry has not been himself since the surgery. Keeps forgetting things. She finds it difficult to manage the house and garden. Neighbors are helping with shopping. Kitchen and bathroom disordered – trouble finding clean towels – dishes piled in sink, bed unmade.

04/10/2023

• Henry showered and wound dressed.
• Still a little unbalanced.
• Rests most of the day.
• Does not remember being showered yesterday.
• House still disorganized, washing piled up in bathroom.
• Dorothy says she would be lost without help from neighbors who also appear to be cooking meals for the couple.

Concerns:

• Provided there are no complications with the wound healing, your role in providing nursing care ends when sutures are removed on 10 October.
• You consider that Jim and Dorothy need to be assessed for further on-going assistance in managing the house and garden and with shopping and the preparation of cooking.

Plan:

• Home visit by the Aged Care Assessment Team (as soon as possible)
• Fully assess the patient’s needs.
• Arrange for appropriate further assistance to be provided.

WRITING TASK

Using the information in the case notes, write a letter to The Director, Aged Care Assessment Team, Brisbane South Region, 78 Masterson St. Acacia Ridge, Brisbane 4110. Explain why you are writing and what types of assistance may be required.

In your answer:

• Expand the relevant notes into complete sentences
• Do not use note form
• Use letter format

The body of the letter should be approximately 180–200 words.