Module 5: Neurological and Musculoskeletal Disorders
What’s Happening This Module?
Module 5: Neurological and Musculoskeletal Disorders is a 2-week module, Weeks 7 and 8 of the course. In this module, you will examine fundamental concepts of diseases and disorders that impact neurological and musculoskeletal systems. You will also evaluate the impact of patient characteristics, including racial and ethnic variables, on physiological functioning within these systems.
| What do I have to do? | When do I have to do it? |
| Review your Learning Resources | Days 1–7, Weeks 7 and 8 |
| Knowledge Check: Neurological and Musculoskeletal Disorders | Submit your Assignment by Day 7 |
| Module 5 Assignment: Case Study Analysis | You are encouraged to work on your Module 5 Assignment throughout the module. However, this Assignment is not due until Day 7 of Week 8. |
Go to the Week’s Content
Week 7
Week 8
Week 7: Concepts of Neurological and Musculoskeletal Disorders – Part 1
Anatomists often use the analogy of a house to explain the human body, with skeletal systems, respiratory systems, and circulatory systems represented as a home’s framing structure, ventilation, and piping, respectively. Such analogies further emphasize the point that relationships between systems can result in complications when issues arise in one system.
With hundreds of diseases that can impact the brain, spine, and nerves, neurological disorders represent a complicated array of issues that present significant health concerns. Disorders such as strokes and Parkinson’s disease not only affect the nervous system, however; they can have secondary impacts in other areas, especially the musculoskeletal system.
This week, you examine fundamental concepts of neurological disorders. You explore common disorders that impact these systems and you apply the key terms and concepts that help communicate the pathophysiological nature of these issues to patients.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Analyze concepts and principles of pathophysiology across the lifespan
Learning Resources
Required Readings
McCance, K. L. & Huether, S. E. (2019). Pathophysiology: the biologic basis for disease in adults and children (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby/Elsevier.
- Chapter 15: Structure and Function of the Neurologic System
- Chapter 16: Pain, Temperature Regulation, Sleep, and Sensory Function (stop at Sleep); Summary Review
- Chapter 17: Alterations in Cognitive Systems, Cerebral Hemodynamics, and Motor Function (start at Acute confusional states and delirium) (stop at Alterations in neuromotor functions); (Parkinson’s Disease); Summary Review
- Chapter 18: Disorders of the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems and the Neuromuscular Junction (stop at Degenerative disorders of the spine); (start at Cerebrovascular disorders) (stop at Tumors of the central nervous system); Summary Review
- Chapter 44: Structure and Function of the Musculoskeletal System (stop at Components of muscle function); Summary Review
- Chapter 45: Alterations of Musculoskeletal Function (stop at Bone tumors); (start at Disorders of joints); Summary Review
- Chapter 47: Structure, Function, and Disorders of the Integument (section on Lyme Disease)
Chin, L. S. (2018). Spinal cord injuries. Retrieved from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/793582-overview#a4
Required Media
Module 5 Overview with Dr. Tara Harris
Dr. Tara Harris reviews the structure of Module 5 as well as the expectations for the module. Consider how you will manage your time as you review your media and Learning Resources throughout the module to prepare for your Knowledge Check and your Assignment. (3m)
Khan Academy. (2019b). Ischemic stroke . Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/science/health-and-medicine/circulatory-system-diseases/stroke/v/ischemic-stroke
Note: The approximate length of the media program is 8 minutes.
Osmosis.org. (2019, June 12). Osteoporosis – causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUQ_tt_zJDo
Note: The approximate length of the media program is 9 minutes.
Online Media from Pathophysiology: The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults and Children
In addition to this week’s media, it is highly recommended that you access and view the resources included with the course text, Pathophysiology: The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults and Children. Focus on the videos and animations in Chapters 15, 16, 18, and sections of Chapters 44 and 45 that relate to the neurological and musculoskeletal systems. Refer to the Learning Resources in Week 1 for registration instructions. If you have already registered, you may access the resources at https://evolve.elsevier.com/
Knowledge Check: Neurological and Musculoskeletal Disorders
In this exercise, you will complete a 10- to 20-essay type question Knowledge Check to gauge your understanding of this module’s content.
Possible topics covered in this Knowledge Check include:
-
- Stroke
- Multiple sclerosis
- Transient Ischemic Attack
- Myasthenia gravis
- Headache
- Seizure disorders
- Head injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system
- Osteoporosis
- Osteopenia
- Bursitis
- Tendinitis
- Gout
- Lyme Disease
- Spondylosis
- Fractures
- Parkinson’s
- Alzheimer’s
Three basic bone-formations:
-
- Osteoblasts
- Osteocytes
- Osteoclasts
Complete the Knowledge Check By Day 7 of Week 7
To complete this Knowledge Check:
Module 5 Knowledge Check
Next Week
To go to the next week:
Week 8
Week 8: Concepts of Neurological and Musculoskeletal Disorders – Part 2
As homeowners know all too well, there is a continuous need for maintenance and repair. Some efforts are precautionary in nature, while others are the result of issues that surface over time.
Similarly, musculoskeletal disorders can develop over time. For some disorders, such as osteoporosis, precautionary treatments are a potential option. But much like issues that surface in a home over time, many musculoskeletal issues can be very serious concerns, and they can have a significant impact on patients’ lives.
This week, you continue to examine fundamental concepts of neurological and musculoskeletal disorders. You explore common disorders that impact these systems and you apply the key terms and concepts that help communicate the pathophysiological nature of these issues to patients.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Analyze processes related to neurological and musculoskeletal disorders
- Identify racial/ethnic variables that may impact physiological functioning
- Evaluate the impact of patient characteristics on disorders and altered physiology
Learning Resources
Note: The below resources were first presented in Week 7. If you have previously reviewed them, you are encouraged to read or view them again here.
Required Readings
McCance, K. L. & Huether, S. E. (2019). Pathophysiology: The biologic basis for disease in adults and children (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby/Elsevier.
- Chapter 15: Structure and Function of the Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems (stop at Aging and the nervous system)
- Chapter 16: Pain, Temperature Regulation, Sleep, and Sensory Function (stop at Sleep); Summary Review
- o Chapter 17: Alterations in Cognitive Systems, Cerebral Hemodynamics, and Motor Function; pp. 504–511, pp. 516–530 (start at Acute confusional states and delirium) (stop at Alterations in neuromotor functions); (Parkinson’s Disease); Summary Review
- Chapter 18: Disorders of the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems and the Neuromuscular Junction (stop at Degenerative disorders of the spine); (start at Cerebrovascular disorders) (stop at Tumors of the central nervous system); Summary Review
- Chapter 44: Structure and Function of the Musculoskeletal System (stop at Components of muscle function); Summary Review
- Chapter 45: Alterations of Musculoskeletal Function (stop at Bone tumors); (start at Disorders of joints); Summary Review
Required Media
Khan Academy. (2019b). Ischemic stroke. Retrieved from ttps://www.khanacademy.org/science/health-and-medicine/circulatory-system-diseases/stroke/v/ischemic-stroke
Note: The approximate length of the media program is 8 minutes.
Osmosis.org. (2019, June 12). Osteoporosis – causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUQ_tt_zJDo
Note: The approximate length of the media program is 9 minutes.
Online Media from Pathophysiology: The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults and Children
In addition to this week’s media, it is highly recommended that you access and view the resources included with the course text, Pathophysiology: The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults and Children. Focus on the videos and animations in Chapters 15, 16, 18, and the sections of Chapters 44 and 45 that relate to the neurological and musculoskeletal systems. Refer to the Learning Resources in Week 1 for registration instructions. If you have already registered, you may access the resources at https://evolve.elsevier.com/
Module 5 Assignment: Case Study Analysis
An understanding of the neurological and musculoskeletal systems is a critically important component of disease and disorder diagnosis and treatment. This importance is magnified by the impact that that these two systems can have on each other. A variety of factors and circumstances affecting the emergence and severity of issues in one system can also have a role in the performance of the other.
Effective analysis often requires an understanding that goes beyond these systems and their mutual impact. For example, patient characteristics such as, racial and ethnic variables can play a role.
An understanding of the symptoms of alterations in neurological and musculoskeletal systems is a critical step in diagnosis and treatment. For APRNs this understanding can also help educate patients and guide them through their treatment plans.
In this Assignment, you examine a case study and analyze the symptoms presented. You identify the elements that may be factors in the diagnosis, and you explain the implications to patient health.
To prepare:
By Day 1 of this week, you will be assigned to a specific case study scenario for this Case Study Assignment. Please see the “Course Announcements” section of the classroom for your assignment from your Instructor.
Assignment (1- to 2-page case study analysis)
Module 5 Assignment: Case Study Analysis
An understanding of the neurological and musculoskeletal systems is a critically important component of disease and disorder diagnosis and treatment. This importance is magnified by the impact that that these two systems can have on each other. A variety of factors and circumstances affecting the emergence and severity of issues in one system can also have a role in the performance of the other.
Effective analysis often requires an understanding that goes beyond these systems and their mutual impact. For example, patient characteristics such as racial and ethnic variables can play a role.
An understanding of the symptoms of alterations in neurological and musculoskeletal systems is a critical step in diagnosis and treatment. For APRNs, this understanding can also help educate patients and guide them through their treatment plans.
In this Assignment, you examine a case study and analyze the symptoms presented. You identify the elements that may be factored in the diagnosis, and you explain the implications to patient health.
To prepare:
By Day 1 of this week, you will be assigned to a specific case study scenario for this Case Study Assignment. Please see the “Course Announcements” section of the classroom for your assignment from your Instructor.
Assignment (1- to 2-page case study analysis)
In your Case Study Analysis related to the scenario provided, explain the following:
Both the neurological and musculoskeletal pathophysiologic processes that would account for the patient presenting these symptoms.
Any racial/ethnic variables that may impact physiological functioning.
How these processes interact to affect the patient.
Week 8 Case Study:
A 67-year-old man presents to the HCP with a chief complaint of tremors in his arms. He also has noticed some tremors in his leg as well. The patient is accompanied by his son, who says that his father has become “stiff” and it takes him much longer to perform simple tasks. The son also relates that his father needs help rising from his chair. Physical exam demonstrates tremors in the hands at rest and fingers exhibit “pill-rolling” movement. The patient’s face is not mobile and exhibits a mask-like appearance. His gait is uneven, and he shuffles when he walks and his head/neck, hips, and knees are flexed forward. He exhibits jerky or cogwheeling movement. The patient states that he has episodes of extreme sweating and flushing not associated with the activity. Laboratory data unremarkable and the HCP has diagnosed the patient with Parkinson’s Disease.
In your Case Study Analysis related to the scenario provided, explain the following:
- Both the neurological and musculoskeletal pathophysiologic processes that would account for the patient presenting these symptoms.
- Any racial/ethnic variables that may impact physiological functioning.
- How these processes interact to affect the patient.
Day 7 of Week 8
Submit your Case Study Analysis Assignment by Day 7 of Week 8.
Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The sample paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
Sample Paper – Week 8 Case Study Analysis
NURS 6501 Week 8 Assignment – Case Study Analysis
Module 5 Assignment: Case Study Analysis NURS 6501 Week 8
Student’s Name:
Institutional Affiliation:
Module 5 Assignment
Individuals with Parkinson’s disease exhibit musculoskeletal conditions that occur because of the discrepancy between the exterior load and the human body’s ability to fight biomechanical and physiological strain. When the body experiences an excessive force, this can generate diverse pathophysiological developments which depend on the affected tissues. The role of this paper will be to highlight a case study and indicate the neurological and musculoskeletal conditions that can make the patient exhibit such symptoms. Further, the paper will highlight the racial variables that can hinder the physiological functioning of the individual. Lastly, the paper will indicate how all these factors interact to affect the patient. When individuals present musculoskeletal conditions, they exhibit different symptoms depending on how far the physiological developments have progressed.
Case Study
A 67-year-old man goes to his HCP after experiencing symptoms that point to Parkinson’s disease. The symptoms include tremors in the arms and legs. After analysis, the patient also exhibits a “pill-rolling” movement, and he also exhibits jerky or cog wheeling movement. The patient also exhibits an uneven gait, and he shuffles when he walks with his head or neck hips and knees flexed forward.
Neurological and Musculoskeletal Pathophysiological Processes
Parkinson’s disease, also known as “atypical Parkinson’s” or “Parkinson’s syndrome,” is a disorder where the patient displays some of the signs related with Parkinson’s disease include tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability. According to DeMaagd and Philip (2015), the disease arises because of the damage of numerous transmitters, which in most cases, is dopamine. The signs of the disease deteriorate with time because more cells become affected by the disease become lost. The disease always affects the nerve cells in the brain that are responsible for movement. The primary function of dopamine is to convey chemical messages from one nerve cell to a different one through a synapse, which is the space between the presynaptic cell and the postsynaptic receptor. When the dopamine-producing cells die, symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, and balancing problems are exhibited in the patient.
Racial and Ethnic Variables Impacting Physiological Functioning
Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects individuals of all races and ethnicity across the globe. Parkinson’s disease’s origin is thought to be multifactorial as such caused by a continuum of factors such as genetics and environmental factors. As such, Sauerbier et al. (2018) believe that sociocultural and geographical differences can impact nutrition and environmental issues between diverse societies. Therefore, it is not uncommon to have a varying prevalence of Parkinson’s disease between the different ethnicities worldwide. However, the relationship between Parkinson’s disease and race remain controversial, with studies suggesting that African-Americans are less likely to have Parkinson’s disease than their white counterparts (Dahodwala et al., 2009). A study conducted to investigate the prevalence of PD indicated that it was lower in Asian countries than in North America (Sauerbier et al., 2018). However, most studies agree that the prevalence of PD increases with age, irrespective of ethnic and geographical background.
Interaction of Processes to Affect Patient
Certainly, the Parkinson’s disease arises because of a confluence of myriad factors that can range from racial and ethnic variables to the individual’s neurological and musculoskeletal processes. In this case, all these processes such as environmental issues arising from the ethnicity of the individual and the neurological and musculoskeletal process, like damage of neural transmitters, might have interacted to make the 67-year-old-man depict symptoms of Parkinson’s disease such as slowed movement, stiffness, and pill-rolling movement.
Conclusion
The above analysis has highlighted the processes that characterize Parkinson’s disease. Further, the paper has indicated that race does not significantly influence the probability of an individual contracting the disease. However, race can affect an individual’s knowledge of the disease to diagnosis and, finally, treatment of the affected individuals.
References
Dahodwala, N., Siderowf, A., Xie, M., Noll, E., Stern, M., & Mandell, D. (2009). Racial differences in the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Movement Disorders, 24(8), 1200-1205. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.22557
DeMaagd, G., & Philip, A. (2015). Parkinson’s disease and Its Management: Part 1: Disease Entity, Risk Factors, Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation, and Diagnosis. PubMed Central (PMC). Retrieved 16 October 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4517533/.
Sauerbier, A., Aris, A., Lim, E., Bhattacharya, K., & Chaudhuri, K. (2018). Impact of ethnicity on the natural history of Parkinson disease. Mja.com.au. Retrieved 16 October 2020, from https://www.mja.com.au/system/files/issues/208_09/10.5694mja17.01074.pdf.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
- Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “M5Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
- Click the Module 5 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
- Click the Module 5 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
- Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “M5Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
- If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
- Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Module 5 Assignment Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Module 5 Assignment draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 8
To participate in this Assignment:
Module 5 Assignment
What’s Coming Up in Module 6?
In Module 6, you will identify processes related to psychological disorders. You will also examine the neurobiology of various psychological issues and consider variables that may impact physiological functioning and altered physiology.
Week 9 Knowledge Check: Psychological Disorders
In the Week 9 Knowledge Check, you will demonstrate your understanding of the topics covered during Module 6. This Knowledge Check will be composed of a series of questions related to specific scenarios provided. It is highly recommended that you review the Learning Resources in their entirety prior to taking the Knowledge Check, since the resources cover the topics addressed. Plan your time accordingly.
Next Module
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