Debbie O’Connor COPD shadow health

Debbie O’Connor COPD Shadow Health

Education & Empathy: 5 of 6 (83.3%)

During the patient interview, there are opportunities to provide patient education and empathy. Here are important moments identified by experts for this patient:

1. **Anxiety Over Worsening Symptoms – Followed Up**

Description: Ms. O’Connor is anxious about her worsening health.

Ms. O’Connor expressed anxiety and distress due to her worsening health. She mentioned trouble breathing, severe coughing fits, and bronchospasms. She believes her smoking habit is contributing to her declining health. She hoped for assistance to quit smoking.

Empathetic Response: “I’m sorry to hear that you are experiencing anxiety over your current health conditions. Not being able to breathe is a scary condition. With the right therapy, and if you quit smoking, you’ll begin to feel better.”

2. **Life Tragedy – Not Followed Up**

Description: Ms. O’Connor shares details about her difficult life, including losing her husband.

Ms. O’Connor mentioned her parents’ deaths due to smoking-related illnesses and the loss of her husband. She discussed how her father had a heart attack at 42, and her mother eventually had pneumonia.

3. **Pneumonia and Flu Vaccines – Followed Up**

Description: Ms. O’Connor hasn’t had recent flu or pneumococcal vaccines.

Ms. O’Connor talked about having had vaccines before, though it had been a long time. She was educated about the importance of getting an annual flu shot and a pneumococcal vaccine every ten years due to her age and health conditions.

Educational Response: “At your age, and with your health conditions, it’s vital that you get an annual flu shot, and that you receive a pneumococcal vaccine every ten years. These two infections could have terrible effects on your health because your respiratory system is already compromised.”

4. **Smoking Cessation – Followed Up**

Description: Ms. O’Connor wants assistance quitting smoking.

Ms. O’Connor revealed that she had relapsed into smoking and desired help to quit. She mentioned her difficulties with quitting and how smoking worsens her breathing. She also mentioned being afraid of using oxygen due to her smoking habit.

Educational Response: “It’s vital that you quit smoking as soon as possible in order to get some relief from your COPD symptoms. Smoking is putting your life in danger and making your symptoms much worse. I can point you towards community or national smoking cessation programs that can help support you while you are quitting.”

5. **Diet and Exercise – Followed Up**

Description: Ms. O’Connor mainly eats frozen food and cannot exercise.

Ms. O’Connor explained her inability to exercise and her diet consisting of microwavable meals. She also mentioned her daughter cooking healthier meals. She was educated about the importance of eating well and incorporating light exercise once her COPD symptoms improve.

Educational Response: “When your COPD symptoms have been alleviated, it is important that you try to eat well and get some light exercise. Not exercising can exacerbate your symptoms, and some exercise will help you breathe easier and build lung capacity.”

6. **Oxygen Therapy – Followed Up**

Description: Ms. O’Connor is interested in oxygen therapy but cannot use it while smoking.

Ms. O’Connor expressed interest in oxygen therapy but acknowledged the danger of smoking near it. She was informed that oxygen therapy could help with breathlessness and fatigue, but it’s unsafe while smoking. She was advised to seek this treatment after quitting smoking.

Educational Response: “Oxygen therapy could help alleviate some of your symptoms of breathlessness and fatigue. Unfortunately, you cannot use oxygen therapy if you smoke. It’s too dangerous. Once you quit smoking, you can seek this treatment.”

	Description: Ms. O’Connor reports details of her difficult life, including the loss of her husband.
	Any family history of illness?	Question 04:24 PM CDT
	My parents died from smoking their whole lives. It was a different time . . . my father had a heart attack at 42. My mother edged him out, but she eventually got pneumonia.
	Changes in your weight? (Clarified to: Has your weight changed recently?)	Question 04:24 PM CDT
	Model Statement: “I’m sorry that you lost your husband and your other family members. That sounds like it must have been very difficult for you.”