Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Posted: December 28th, 2022

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Reflect on a patient who presented with a vaginal discharge during your Practicum Experience. Describe key signs and symptoms that were consistent with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) versus a non-STI related infection. If you diagnosed the patient with an STI, describe your experience in telling the patient that she had an STI, as well as the patient’s reaction to the diagnosis. Explain how the diagnosis might impact the patient’s life short-term and long-term. Include an explanation of the patient’s medical history, drug therapy and treatments, and follow-up care.Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

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Journal Week 4
Introduction
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) include infections that are transmitted from one person to another via sexual contact. Examples of STIs such as gonorrhea and syphilis are caused by bacteria while STIs like HIV and herpes are caused by viruses. The number of STIs keeps rising, especially among young women and men. The high prevalence of STIs calls for improved diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of the STIs. This paper will discuss a patient with STI that I experienced during my practicum.
During my practicum, I attended a female patient who reported that she was experiencing abnormal vaginal discharge. The patient reported that the discharge was slightly green and smelly. She further added that she had been experiencing burning sensation and pain during urination, frequent urination, excruciating pain in the lower abdomen, and pain during sex.Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Initially, I thought that the patient was having a typical urinary tract infection. This is because urinary tract infections are characterized by similar symptoms such as burning pain when urinating, frequent urge to urinate, smelly and discolored urine, and lower abdominal pain (Piszczeket al., 2015). As a result, an examination test was ordered and which ruled out an STI and confirmed a gonorrhea diagnosis.Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Description of the Diagnosis
The patient looked stressed and very anxious and thus disclosing the diagnosis of gonorrhea was a challenge. Therefore, I first counseled the patient before disclosing the diagnosis. On telling the patient the diagnosis, she started crying and blaming the partner for the infection. The patient was so worried and thought that the infection would render her infertile. However, I educated the patient about the infection and encouraged her that if she adhered to the prescribed treatment, the infection would clear completely. In addition, I informed the patient of the need to have her partner informed of her diagnosis so that he can also seek the required medical care (Alirol et al., 2017).
Short-Term and Long-Term Impact on the Patient’s Life
The patient does not have a history of any major health problem. Untreated gonorrhea can lead to the infection spreading to the fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and even abdomen. In addition, the reproductive system of the patient can be permanently damaged, leading to infertility. There is also a likelihood of the infection spreading to the other body parts, including the bloodstream and other body organs. There is also a risk of the patient giving birth to a child with complications(Piszczek et al., 2015).Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The patient will be prescribed antibiotics such as ceftriaxone or Azithromycin. There will be a need for the patient to take all the prescribed treatments as required in order to ensure treatment efficacy. The partner of the patient will also need to seek treatment to avoid transmission of the infection back and forth.
In addition, the sexual partners of the patient will be identified, contacted, tested, and treated in order to assist in preventing the spread of the disease. The patient will also need to avoid having sex during the treatment period, or at least for seven days after the diagnosis (Pfeiffer et al., 2016).Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).