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Week 4 Discussion – Eating disorders

In today’s society, there is an unspoken intense pressure to have the ideal body image. Media coverage and fashion trends contribute to an increased number of individuals with eating disorders by dieting or working out to obtain that perfect body. Eating disorders are complex emotional illnesses that require immediate medical attention for malnutrition and counseling for the mental health aspect of this illness. Eating disorders are prevalent in adolescent girls and boys, with the onset age range of 9 to 12 (Polan & Taylor, 2019).

The financial implications of eating disorders can be devasting for individuals that have eating disorders. Those who suffer from eating disorders find it difficult to secure and maintain long-term employment; therefore, they have little or no income for means of treatment (Eating Disorder Hope, 2017). Healthcare for those with eating disorders is several thousand dollars more than everyone else (Samnaliev et al., 2015).

Priority nursing interventions for a nurse caring for a patient with this disease would be to monitor vital signs, calorie intake, cardiac rate and rhythm, monitoring laboratory results, and reporting any abnormalities. Monitoring laboratory results are significant as patients who suffer from eating disorders usually have electrolyte imbalances, cardiac rhythm disturbances, and renal dysfunction (Keogh, 2018).

For the nurse with a patient with an eating disorder, some of the patient teachings would be to educate them on an average weight for their age and height. Also involving the patient in meal planning and preparation and education on healthy and nutritious snack foods. In addition, provide a referral for treatment of illness (Ignatavicius et al., 2018).

The key members of the care team for this 25-year-old male admitted to the emergency room with an acknowledged eating disorder would consist of an adult internal medicine doctor to treat the electrolyte imbalance. A cardiologist would also be on the case for any cardiac issues such as arrhythmias. A psychiatrist would also be needed to address the mental and emotional aspects of eating disorders. The psychiatrist could provide interpersonal, cognitive-behavioral therapy even family therapy. A consult with a dietitian would be vital to collaborate on a set caloric and protein intake goal. Other services the dietitian could provide is a customized eating plan consisting of food choices and designated eating (Keogh, 2018).    

References

Eating Disorder Hope. (2017, January 22). Economic impact of eating disorders. https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/economic-impact-eating-disorders

Ignatavicius, D. D., Workman, M. L., & Rebar, C. (2018). Medical-surgical nursing: Concepts for interprofessional collaborative care, 2-volume set (9th ed.). ELSEVIER.

Keogh, J. (2018). Medical-surgical nursing demystified, third edition (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill Education / Medical.

Polan, E., & Taylor, D. (2019). Journey across the life span: Human development and health promotion (6th ed.). F. A. Davis Company.

Samnaliev, M., Noh, H., Sonneville, K., & Austin, B. (2015). The economic burden of eating disorders and related mental health comorbidities: An exploratory analysis using the u.s. medical expenditures panel survey. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335514000230