Thomas Edison State College

ESSAY TEST

NUR 710: Testing, Assessment, and Evaluation

Essay Test

Ahmed Appiah

October Term

Essay Test

The essay test is intended to assess higher learning of undergraduate nursing students. Students are also being prepared for life long learning opportunities by learning how to construct responses to questions in their own way. In real life, nurses have the responsibility of educating the community in which they practice and their peers through presentations and speeches. Writing essays help students to develop how to articulate their ideas to target audience.

Objectives for the test include (1) gauging student cognitive learning abilities and (2) assessing student creative abilities with knowledge and information.

TESC SCHOOL OF NURSING

ESSAY TEST

SPRING 2012

Keep this booklet closed until you are asked to start the test

This is a two essay test with each question carrying 50 points for a total of 100 points. You have 90 minutes to complete the test. Please note that it is prohibited to have your cell phone, pager, or any other electronic gadget on during the course of the test.

Please make sure to answer all two questions within the allotted time and make sure you follow instructions carefully.

Please follow these directions carefully

Please make sure your name is on both the test booklet and answer booklet
Make sure you have two questions and they are printed legibly
If you have a question or need to use the rest room during the test, please raise your hand so proctor could come to you.
Please pay attention to your grammar and punctuation.

Signature: ______

Print name: ______

Hypertension has been linked with several medical conditions; define hypertension and discuss four medical conditions that you believe are associated with hypertension. Discuss three lifestyle changes that a patient could make in addition to medication to control the condition. Please limit your response to no more than two pages.

Standard Response

Hypertension is another name give to blood pressure, a chronic medical condition. It indicates elevated pressure in the arteries of the vascular system and the major significance is that the heart has to work harder to accomplish its duties. Blood pressure is measured in a fraction form with the nominator being referred to as the diastolic pressure; pressure in the arteries when the heart is contracting and the denominator, referred to as diastolic pressure is the between heart beats or when the heart is relaxing. Many authorities in cardiac care state that a normal blood pressure is regarded as one that is below 120/80 and hypertension is a blood pressure of 140/90 or more most of the time.

Some of the medical conditions associated with high blood pressure include stroke (cerebrovascular accident), myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure, and chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.

Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) commonly referred to as stroke is the condition when blood supply to the brain stops. When this occurs the brain is deprived of oxygen which can lead to permanent damage to vital functions like speech or coordination.

Myocardial infarction (heart attack) is the condition where blood supply is stopped to a part of the heart for period of time and this can lead to damage of the muscle of the heart which experienced the event.

Heart failure is a condition whereby the heart cannot pump blood to all parts of the human body because it has been weakened. This condition could be the result of prolonged uncontrolled hypertension, though other medical conditions can lead to heart failure.

Elevated pressure in the kidneys due to hypertension slowly kills the cells in the kidneys that are responsible for elimination wastes and excess water from the body. Over time the patient’s renal function will deteriorate to a point where dialysis or kidney transplant will be needed to keep up with body’s needs.

One lifestyle change a person could make in addition to medication is exercise. Exercise could lead to weight loss, better cholesterol levels and reduction is stress. All these are known to lower blood pressure.

Diet modification is also another lifestyle change that may be undertaken. A reduction in salt intake has been linked with better blood pressure. Increased salt intake leads the body to hang onto more water and eventually elevated blood pressure. Eating vegetables and fruits also have benefits for the heart.

Stress is known to cause elevated blood pressure and a patient could try various relaxation methods to control blood pressure. Relaxation could help lower stress hormones that contribute to increase in blood pressure.

All the above recommendations in addition to medication can significantly lower the health risks to a person with hypertension. It can eventually help in lowering of doses of medication or reduction in the number of prescription medicines.

Diabetes has been linked to several ailments that may cause early death. Type two diabetes has been on the rise in recent years. Briefly describe diabetes and discuss three changes a patient, who has a family history of type two diabetes, could make to delay or prevent the onset of type two diabetes.

Standard Response

Diabetes is a chronic condition where blood sugar levels remain significantly high even several hours after a meal. The increase in blood glucose levels can lead to damage in several organs in the body. Type two diabetes usually develop over several years and the patient may not have any symptoms until it is very late. Diagnosis of diabetes is done with tests like fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1C, and urinalysis. A fasting blood glucose greater than 120mg/dl two times is considered as conclusive for diabetes. Hemoglobin A1C is usually done to confirm glucose control over a three month period.

Unlike type one diabetes, which is not related to lifestyle, type two diabetes can be prevented or delayed by implementing changes like increase in the level of physical activity. Exercising more regularly for a periods lasting thirty minutes or greater enhances metabolism. The body uses glucose, the sugar derived from ingested food, more efficiently. Exercises also have the advantage of helping in weight loss because being over weight has a big role in the development of diabetes.

Diet modification which includes a reduction in the amount of carbohydrates and the amount of pure sugar in the food a person consumes has a role in diabetes prevention. Patients would have to learn how to interpret food labels so that they would know which alternative is better for them. A major nursing role could be around “what the patient can do” not so much on “what they cannot do” so they do not get too frightened to attempt the things needed to prevent the disease.

Obesity is one of the conditions known to cause diabetes. As has been alluded to earlier, a concerted effort at weight reduction can help in diabetes prevention and control. Reducing portion size, reducing consumption of certain food items, and moderate exercise can help in weight loss. Weight loss can be challenging but a prudent plan is the key to success.

The suggestions above in addition to recommendations from a healthcare provider can definitely help a patient on the verge of developing type two diabetes to delay it or prevent it all together.

Reference

McDonald, M.E. (2007). The nurse educator’s guide to assessing learning outcomes (2nd ed). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett publishers