Educational Activities at the University of Arizona
Fall
Purpose: To expose medical students to complications that can arise in patients with Sickle Cell Disease.
Description: For the first time in September 2012, and continuing to present, year 2 Medical Students at the University of Arizona College of Medicine (Tucson campus) participated in a Clinicopathological Conference concerning a patient with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) who developed acute liver failure due to decreased oxygen delivery to the liver. The sessions are facilitated by Marc Tischler, PhD and William Adamas-Rappaport, MD. Students were provided with a chief complaint for the patient and as a class identified a list of potential diagnoses. Students then were provided with the patient’s medical history and physical examination data, and used this information to modify their diagnostic list with identification of laboratory tests and imaging for which they wanted results. Finally, a discussion ensued about the actual diagnosis and topics related to SCD including the biochemistry, genetics, anatomy, social issues, and complications. The objectives were: a) discuss abnormal lab findings expected and the reason for these results in a patient with acute liver failure as a secondary consequence of SCD; b) discuss the treatments and lab findings for a patient with SCD undergoing a sickling crisis; and c) describe the mechanism for red blood cell sickling in a patient with SCD.
Spring 2013
Purpose: To expose medical and nursing students to complications that can arise in patients with Sickle Cell Disease especially following surgery, and how such patients should be monitored and managed.
Description: In March 2013, and continuing to present, year 2 Medical Students at University of Arizona College of Medicine (Tucson campus) participated in interactive discussions about Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). The class of 115 was divided into 4 groups, each of which was assigned a clinical and nursing faculty facilitator. The ‘patient’, a 21 year-old woman with Sickle Cell Disease, presented with gallstones as a complication. Students discussed the potential diagnosis and lab data required to determine the final diagnosis. A variety of issues were considered including why such a young woman has gallbladder disease, factors which can increase the risk of a sickling crisis, effects of a blood transfusion, need to monitor the patient post-operatively (after gallbladder removal), and the concerns for development of lung complications after surgery in a patient with SCD. The objectives were: a) understand how low blood oxygen may precipitate obstruction of blood vessels by sickled red blood cells; b) recognize that SCD patients undergoing routine anesthesia require special management; c) know the importance of monitoring patients with SCD at risk for low blood oxygen; and d) appreciate morbity and mortality associated with acute lung events in patients with SCD.
Description: In March and April 2013, and continuing to present, students from the College of Nursing both on the Tucson and Phoenix campus working on their master’s degree in Nursing, participated in an activity akin to the one described above for the medical students. The facilitators included a clinical and basic science faculty member from the College of Medicine as well as several nursing faculty. The same case was used as with the medical students. The discussion issues were modified for the academic interests of nursing students. In particular part of the discussion focused on the specific nursing concerns for this patient including potential postoperative problems such as dehydration, oxygenation, pulmonary function, toileting, and pain control.
Purpose: To expose medical students to complications that can arise in patients with Sickle Cell Disease.
Description: For the first time in September 2012, and continuing to present, year 2 Medical Students at the University of Arizona College of Medicine (Tucson campus) participated in a Clinicopathological Conference concerning a patient with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) who developed acute liver failure due to decreased oxygen delivery to the liver. The sessions are facilitated by Marc Tischler, PhD and William Adamas-Rappaport, MD. Students were provided with a chief complaint for the patient and as a class identified a list of potential diagnoses. Students then were provided with the patient’s medical history and physical examination data, and used this information to modify their diagnostic list with identification of laboratory tests and imaging for which they wanted results. Finally, a discussion ensued about the actual diagnosis and topics related to SCD including the biochemistry, genetics, anatomy, social issues, and complications. The objectives were: a) discuss abnormal lab findings expected and the reason for these results in a patient with acute liver failure as a secondary consequence of SCD; b) discuss the treatments and lab findings for a patient with SCD undergoing a sickling crisis; and c) describe the mechanism for red blood cell sickling in a patient with SCD.
Spring 2013
Purpose: To expose medical and nursing students to complications that can arise in patients with Sickle Cell Disease especially following surgery, and how such patients should be monitored and managed.
Description: In March 2013, and continuing to present, year 2 Medical Students at University of Arizona College of Medicine (Tucson campus) participated in interactive discussions about Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). The class of 115 was divided into 4 groups, each of which was assigned a clinical and nursing faculty facilitator. The ‘patient’, a 21 year-old woman with Sickle Cell Disease, presented with gallstones as a complication. Students discussed the potential diagnosis and lab data required to determine the final diagnosis. A variety of issues were considered including why such a young woman has gallbladder disease, factors which can increase the risk of a sickling crisis, effects of a blood transfusion, need to monitor the patient post-operatively (after gallbladder removal), and the concerns for development of lung complications after surgery in a patient with SCD. The objectives were: a) understand how low blood oxygen may precipitate obstruction of blood vessels by sickled red blood cells; b) recognize that SCD patients undergoing routine anesthesia require special management; c) know the importance of monitoring patients with SCD at risk for low blood oxygen; and d) appreciate morbity and mortality associated with acute lung events in patients with SCD.
Description: In March and April 2013, and continuing to present, students from the College of Nursing both on the Tucson and Phoenix campus working on their master’s degree in Nursing, participated in an activity akin to the one described above for the medical students. The facilitators included a clinical and basic science faculty member from the College of Medicine as well as several nursing faculty. The same case was used as with the medical students. The discussion issues were modified for the academic interests of nursing students. In particular part of the discussion focused on the specific nursing concerns for this patient including potential postoperative problems such as dehydration, oxygenation, pulmonary function, toileting, and pain control.
