Tutor profile: Shelly C.

What is the difference between a disease and a syndrome?

The difference between a disease and a syndrome is that a disease is an established illness with a known cause, but a syndrome is collection of symptoms that may be present to varying degrees. Some syndromes are associated with a particular disease or disorder, and others have unknown or poorly-defined etiologies.

What types of foods are good sources of vitamin B12? Based on this, what types of diets might be deficient in vitamin B12?

Meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and some fortified foods like breakfast cereals are good sources of vitamin B12. People with vegetarian or vegan diets may be deficient in vitamin B12.

A patient has an oxygen saturation of 78%, heart rate 94 bpm, blood pressure is 170/89 and their last blood glucose reading two hours ago was 109. How would you approach an assessment for this patient and why?

A focused assessment approach is most appropriate for this patient. The oxygen saturation of 78% is far below the normal range and should be assessed first. Compromised airway and breathing is always a priority and should be addressed. Thought some of the other vitals are outside of an ideal range, they are not the first thing the nurse would assess.