Sickle Cell Anemia: In a Nutshell (Pediatric Nursing)

00:01 So in a nutshell, sickle cell anemia - this is where the blood cells are shaped like sickles.

00:06 They have difficulty flowing through the blood vessels.

00:09 This is a genetic autosomal recessive disorder.

00:13 It's common in patients from African, Caribbean, Meditteranean and South American regions, and some patients will never experience a sickle cell crisis.

00:24 There are triggers that can trigger the crisis, including overexhaustion, dehydration, infections including viral and bacterial.

00:34 Poor oxygenation, is going to result in damage to the vital organs and this can also lead to death.

00:40 Signs and symptoms include difficulty breathing, anxiety, chest and abdominal pain, and pain to the arms and legs.

00:48 We treat sickle cell crises by providing pain management, increasing fluids providing supplememtal oxygen, monitoring your vital signs and oxygen saturations, and prophylactic and treatment antibiotics.

01:01 Thank you for listening on this lecture on sickle cell anemia.