| Course | NUR-3380 Applying the Nursing Process to Alteration in Health |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 1 |
| Paper type | Nursing process paper: hypertension and health promotion |
| Length | About 1,100 words, 6 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | B.S.N., Accelerated Second Degree |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for NUR 3380 Module 1
One Fifty-Two Over Ninety-Six: Planning Care for New Hypertension in a Trenton Clinic
Student Name
B.S.N., Accelerated Second Degree, Thomas Edison State University
NUR-3380: Applying the Nursing Process to Alteration in Health
Mentor Name
Month Day, Year
One Fifty-Two Over Ninety-Six: Planning Care for New Hypertension in a Trenton Clinic
The Patient
This clinic and its patient are made up for the paper. Mr. Davis, 54, maintains city buses and came to a community clinic in Trenton for a work physical. His blood pressure was 152/96, and when he returned two weeks later it read 148/94. He has no symptoms, takes no medications, smokes half a pack a day, has a few beers on Saturdays and buys most lunches at a deli by the garage. His father had a stroke at 60. His body mass index is 31. He says he feels fine and does not understand why the clinic is concerned.
Assessment
The student collected a full history, including family history, diet, activity, tobacco and alcohol use, and asked about stress and sleep. Mr. Davis works early shifts and sleeps about five hours a night. He has no chest pain, shortness of breath or headaches. Laboratory results ordered by the nurse practitioner show normal kidney function and a cholesterol level slightly above goal. The student also asked what Mr. Davis knew about high blood pressure; he believed it caused headaches and that he would know if his were high.
Categories and Targets
Carey and Whelton (2018) summarized the 2017 guideline. Under the guideline, readings below 120/80 are normal; a systolic of 120 to 129 with a diastolic under 80 is elevated; 130 to 139 systolic or a diastolic in the 80s is stage 1; and 140 or more systolic or 90 or more diastolic is stage 2. The guideline recommends confirming the diagnosis with readings outside the office, such as home monitoring, treating most adults with stage 2 hypertension with lifestyle changes and medication and aiming for a blood pressure below 130/80 for most. Lifestyle measures include weight loss, a heart-healthy diet such as the DASH pattern, less sodium, more potassium, regular physical activity and limited alcohol.
By these definitions, Mr. Davis has stage 2 hypertension.
Why Lower Targets
In the SPRINT trial (SPRINT Research Group, 2015), investigators randomly assigned 9,361 adults with high cardiovascular risk but without diabetes to a systolic target of below 120 or below 140. The trial ended ahead of schedule after the lower-target group showed fewer major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, stroke and heart failure, and fewer deaths from any cause. The intensive group also had more serious adverse events, among them low blood pressure, fainting, abnormal electrolytes and sudden kidney injury, so closer monitoring is needed.
The trial explains why guidelines moved toward lower targets and why patients on more intensive treatment need careful follow-up.
Home Monitoring
Uhlig et al. (2013) reviewed trials of self-measured blood pressure monitoring. Home readings on their own lowered blood pressure a little over the short term, while home readings paired with extra help lowered it further and for longer, the extra help being such as education, counseling or medication adjustment based on readings. The authors concluded that self-monitoring is most useful as part of a broader plan.
| Source | Key point | Plan element |
|---|---|---|
| Carey and Whelton (2018) | Stage 2 at 140/90; confirm out of office; target below 130/80 | Home readings; lifestyle plus medication |
| SPRINT Research Group (2015) | Lower systolic target reduced events and deaths, with more adverse effects | Explain target; watch for dizziness |
| Uhlig et al. (2013) | Self-monitoring helps most with added support | Teach monitoring; review readings with him |
Nursing Diagnoses
Three diagnoses guided the plan: deficient knowledge about hypertension and its risks, shown by his belief that he would feel high blood pressure; ineffective health management related to diet, smoking and short sleep; and readiness for enhanced health, which his worry about his father's stroke revealed.
Planning
Goals were written for Mr. Davis to demonstrate. Within two weeks, he will measure his blood pressure correctly at home twice daily and record the results. Within one month, he will name three foods high in sodium in his current diet and two lower-sodium alternatives. Within three months, his average home blood pressure will be below 130/80 with treatment, and he will have set a quit date for smoking.
Implementation
The nurse practitioner started an antihypertensive medication. The student taught Mr. Davis to use a validated upper-arm cuff: sit and rest for five minutes with his back supported by the chair and his feet flat, keep the cuffed arm level with his heart, avoid coffee and cigarettes for half an hour, then take a pair of readings sixty seconds apart after waking and again before dinner. He practiced in the clinic and his reading matched the nurse's. The student explained that high blood pressure is usually silent, connected it to his father's stroke and explained why the target was lower than he expected, mentioning that the trial behind it also found more dizziness, which he should report.
For diet, the student reviewed his deli lunches and helped him plan two lunches a week from home, using a simple DASH handout. She discussed smoking briefly, and he agreed to talk about quitting at the next visit.
Equity and Access
Mr. Davis had no blood pressure cuff at home and worried about the cost. The clinic's pharmacy offered a validated upper-arm cuff at a discount through a community program, and the student checked that the cuff size fit his arm, since a cuff that is too small gives falsely high readings. He works shifts that start at 5 a.m., so the student helped him choose measurement times that fit his day: right after waking and before dinner. She also gave him a log sheet with large boxes rather than asking him to use an app he did not want. These practical steps decide whether self-monitoring happens at all.
Evaluation
At the four-week visit, Mr. Davis brought a log of 50 readings, averaging 138/86. He had brought lunch from home three days a week and cut his weekend beer to two. He had not yet set a quit date. The plan was adjusted: the nurse practitioner increased his medication dose, and the student referred him to the state quitline.
Limits
SPRINT excluded people with diabetes or prior stroke, so its results may not apply to everyone. Home readings depend on correct technique and a validated cuff. Lifestyle change takes longer than one month to judge.
Conclusion
Mr. Davis's readings placed him in stage 2 hypertension. The 2017 guideline defined his category and target, SPRINT explained why lower targets matter and the self-monitoring meta-analysis showed that home readings help most with support. A plan with home monitoring, specific lifestyle goals and follow-up has begun to lower his blood pressure.
References
Carey, R. M., & Whelton, P. K. (2018). Prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults: Synopsis of the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association hypertension guideline. Annals of Internal Medicine, 168(5), 351-358. https://doi.org/10.7326/M17-3203
SPRINT Research Group. (2015). A randomized trial of intensive versus standard blood-pressure control. New England Journal of Medicine, 373(22), 2103-2116. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1511939
Uhlig, K., Patel, K., Ip, S., Kitsios, G. D., & Balk, E. M. (2013). Self-measured blood pressure monitoring in the management of hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 159(3), 185-194. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-159-3-201308060-00008
Reading the NUR 3380 Module 1 assignment instructions
Health promotion and prevention are named first in TESU's catalog paragraph for NUR-3380, and since the course syllabus is not published, module one is planned as a hypertension nursing process paper. Write a paper that assesses a patient fully, including beliefs about the condition, applies current definitions and targets from a guideline, uses trial or review evidence to justify parts of the plan, writes nursing diagnoses and goals the patient can demonstrate, describes implementation with teaching and evaluates what the patient did. Some sections assign a care map or concept map instead of a narrative paper. Check whether NANDA-I labels are required and whether the brief wants the plan in a table. Bring at least two weeks of the patient's readings into the evaluation if your scenario allows it.
How the NUR 3380 Module 1 example is put together
An invented 54-year-old bus mechanic with readings of 152/96 and 148/94 at a Trenton clinic opens the paper, with his belief that he would feel high blood pressure. The 2017 guideline synopsis, the SPRINT trial and a meta-analysis of self-monitoring are explained and tied to the plan in a table. Nursing diagnoses, goals he can demonstrate, home monitoring technique, diet planning around deli lunches and a brief discussion of smoking follow. At four weeks, his log averages 138/86, and the plan is adjusted before the paper weighs its limits and concludes. Annotations note the evidence behind the plan and outcomes the patient demonstrates. Practical barriers such as the cost of a cuff, cuff size and shift work are addressed in a short section on access.
Where the marks sit in the NUR 3380 Module 1 rubric
Hypertension papers earn credit for a full assessment that includes the patient's beliefs, accurate use of current categories and targets, evidence used to justify the plan, goals the patient can demonstrate, detailed teaching including monitoring technique and evaluation based on the patient's results. Mentors notice when a student corrects a common misconception, such as expecting symptoms. Explaining both the benefit and the risks of lower targets shows balanced teaching. Adjusting the plan after evaluation shows that the nursing process is a cycle. Guidelines and trials should be cited from their journal sources, with group authors where appropriate. Attention to cost, cuff size and the patient's work schedule shows a plan shaped around this man's actual life.
NUR 3380 Module 1 help from the desk
Hypertension plans often list lifestyle changes without tailoring them; build the plan around the patient's real meals, work and habits. Another common gap is teaching home monitoring without checking technique. Watch the patient take a reading. Write goals the patient can show. Explain why the target matters. Bring the log back and adjust. The desk will write a first draft of your own hypertension care plan at no cost, following the Trenton example. Check that the patient can get and afford a validated cuff of the right size, and fit the measurement times to their day.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Thomas Edison State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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NUR 3380 Module 1 questions, answered
Where can I find a free NUR 3380 Module 1 sample paper?
The hypertension paper about an invented bus mechanic at a Trenton clinic, from the readings to the four-week evaluation, is on this page.
What blood pressure is stage 2 hypertension?
A systolic reading of 140 or higher or a diastolic reading of 90 or higher, under the 2017 guideline.
What did the SPRINT trial show?
Aiming below 120 systolic cut heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and deaths in high-risk adults without diabetes, though side effects rose.
Does home blood pressure monitoring help?
Uhlig and colleagues found modest benefit alone and larger benefit when combined with education or medication adjustment.
How should a patient take a home blood pressure reading?
After five quiet minutes in a chair with the back resting and feet down, cuffed arm level with the heart, no coffee or cigarettes beforehand, and two readings taken.