20. How to write a case study By Mrs. Heera KC Parajuli, BN)

Note: Constructive Criticism is highly appreciated.

Every school has its own way of writing a case study but the overall aim is to know fully about the disease process  in the patients and important of nursing care. Here I have given  certain tips on how to write a case study. However, it might not be applicable to all the institutes but I am quite sure that it might be helpful somehow to students.

Guidelines
1) Acknowledgement

2) Background

3) Table of content

4) Rationale for selection of the case

5) Objective of the case study
    a) General Objective
    b) Specific Objective

6) Patients' profile
   a) Patient's' history
   b) Physical examination
   c)Summary of your physical findings
   d) Provisional diagnosis

7) Developmental task 
    (comparison should be done between published literature and case profile)

8) Disease profile(comparison should be done between published literature and case profile)

• a) Definition 
• b) Incidence/prevalence
• c) Etiology
• d) Pathophysiology
• e) Clinical features
• f) Diagnosis and investigation 
• g) Treatment(Medical/Surgical)
• h) Prevention 
• i) Complications
• j)Prognosis of disease

9) Patient's daily progress note  ( daily vital signs, special care you provided based on patient's chief complaints and patients daily progress)

10)Application of nursing theory to provide nursing care( with reason why you applied)

11)Nursing management and nursing care plan 
    (It should be based on your daily patients' prognosis)

12) Health education

13) Discharge Summary

14) Overall Summary(it should not be too lengthy, readable at a glance)

15) Drug details 
     (that are prescribed, especially the doses, adverse effects and nursing intervention)

16) References

Suggestion to students: Dear students please donot copy from your friends for the sake of easily completing your courses. I have seen myself so many of my own friends copying from others even without missing a single word! By doing this you might have been thinking you are the most clever and talented one but please do realise one thing that you are the one who is responsible to degrade the nursing profession!

You are the future nurses! You are the future teachers and you are the change agents  of the nursing profession! You have so much responsibility to uplift your profession, many more than you have ever realised! So, behave as a good nursing students and please help in maintaining your professionalism!

Regards and Thanks
Heera KC Parajuli