The purpose is to integrate basic concepts with systems disorders using analysis in support of critical thinking.

Select a pathophysiology concept and systems disorder
Hypoxia and Myocardial Infarction

Complete the three areas of the basic concept template describing this concept in detail.
Complete all areas of the systems disorder template
Complete an analysis reviewing how the selected concept and systems disorder is related.
Completing the basic concept template: there are 3 sections to complete: related to, underlying principles, and nursing interventions. In related to section, you want to talk about what the concept is related to. For example, fluid is related to/about water, hydration, sodium balance, volume, osmosis (remember no more than 4-5 things), hydrostatic pressure, diseases such as heart failure (too much fluid) or shock (too little fluid). In the underlying principles you discuss what is important to know about the concept, you’ve chosen. For example, too much fluid = hypervolemia; too little fluid = dehydration; blood pressure correlates to fluid status. You can even discuss how hypertonic solutions causes cells to shrink and how hypotonic solutions cause cells to swell. And lastly nursing intervention. You want to reinforce the information collected in the related to section and the underlying principle (in my opinion) because I believe this is how you learn concepts. Based on what you’ve written about fluid in the related to the column and based on what is important to know in the underlying principles column you then create specific nursing interventions. For example, the fact fluid is related to sodium balance which regulates the amount of water in the body, appropriate nursing intervention is: assess sodium level. Another would be for the nurse to assess/monitor hydration status, check blood pressure. (That’s just a couple, there are many others you can write).

Completing the system disorder template: there are multiple sections and as appropriate they need to be filled in. As appropriate complete each box. For some disorders, there are no therapeutic procedures or interventions. Please don’t make anything up as that will be incorrect. In the lab box, please don’t just write BMP (basic metabolic panel). Identify which results from the BMP will be altered. For example, sodium is an electrolyte that will result from the BMP lab. What will the result be for the disease you selected, elevated or low. I cannot stress enough, you are responsible not just for knowing diagnostic tests, but also knowing the results. So get into the habit of learning both now.

Lastly, take a step back and analyze the relationship between the concept and the disorder. There should be a relationship, a connection. Briefly, (I mean no more than 1 page) write about that relationship. Or, you may draw a picture. If you choose to draw a picture, just like with the 1-page paper, the relationship between the basic concept AND the system disorder must be drawn in detail, or there should be captions that accompany your picture. There are examples of the 1-page paper and drawings in the files>>course resources>>concept process assignment.