When we think about illnesses, we generally expect to see evidence and symptoms, we expect to see a person who looks sick . When it comes to people with lupus, they don't always seem sick or have anything wrong. This could lead others, such as family members, to disbelieve that they actually have an illness. This could worsen complications related to managing self-care and providing adequate family support. In terms of nursing care, the nurse plays an essential role, particularly in terms of educating the patient and their family. I'll talk more about what lupus is, how it is treated, who makes the diagnosis, and the nurse's role in care. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Lupus is an autoimmune disease and is most common in women aged 20 to 40. According to Goff & Vanderbeck (2016), “women of color are affected much more often than Euro-Americans.” The Lupus Foundation of America has stated that “the immune system cannot differentiate between foreign invaders and healthy body tissues. As a result, it creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue.” Two of the main types are systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). DLE only affects the skin. According to Gaffar Sarwar Zaman (2019), SLE is an autoimmune disease that attacks the tissues of single or multiple parts of the healthy body. There may be more than one sign of organs affected, and parts of the body that may be affected include the joints, brain, skin, and other parts of the body. Subcutaneous lupus, also known as butterfly rash, is often seen in SLE. It comes in two types. One is caused by sun sensitivity and is a rash of red colored pimples on the skin. The second begins as flat lesions and enlarges as they grow outward, often seen in DLE (Zaman, 2016). As Rena Goldman illustrated (2017), many people with lupus also suffer from Sjögren's disease, which causes very severe dryness of the eyes and mouth and can lead to problems such as dysphagia and tooth decay. Lupus can also affect the pancreas, either through inflammation or medications needed to treat the disease. According to Goldman (2017), patients with SLE are at higher risk of heart disease. Decreased oxygen can cause a lupus patient to have memory problems or, in less likely cases, hallucinations. Arthritis can also occur due to inflammation caused by lupus. Lupus nephritis is the type of lupus that affects the kidneys. When the patient discovers they have lupus, it is usually the primary care physician who discovers it. This is when the patient is referred to a specialist. Typically, a rheumatologist who specializes in bone and joint medicine is the specialist who treats a patient with lupus. When the disease affects other body systems, the patient may also consult a doctor who specializes in the affected body system. These specialists may include cardiologists, endocrinologists, dermatologists, nephrologists, neurologists and/or pulmonologists. It is a complicated disease and can be complicated treatment. According to Goff and Vanderbeck (2016), when a patient is in remission, they appear healthy, but during aexacerbation, the patient may become very ill and require intensive care. Generally, the patient is able to manage the illness at home; they usually do not need to be hospitalized unless there is a severe exacerbation. The nurse's role in the care of these patients is to assess their illness, monitor their vital signs and blood tests, manage their medications, and provide education about the illness, medication effects, and management care. Nursing interventions would use dependent and independent interventions. Dependent interventions would include medication administration. This medication might include topical ointments such as hydroxychloroquine, which works by decreasing the absorption of ultraviolet (UV) light, which helps prevent skin damage. Chronic corticosteroid therapy may be prescribed to treat systemic disease processes. Immunosuppressive medications may also be prescribed in cases of kidney damage. Even when symptoms of the disease disappear, these medications would be continued to help prevent future exacerbations. It would be important for the nurse to educate the patient on the effects of any medication administered. Independent interventions for the nurse would be to provide the patient with information on the best ways to avoid direct contact with sunlight. The nurse should encourage the use of sunscreen, hats, long sleeves, and other items that can block the sun's UV rays. Another independent intervention that would benefit the patient would be for the nurse to encourage the patient to maintain paced activity at their normal limits during their mild symptoms or during remission (Lupus erythematosus, 2019). Fatigue can lead to exacerbations, so it is important for the nurse and patient to explore ways the patient can maintain activity while avoiding exhaustion. In particular, the nurse should teach the patient and family how to recognize the signs and symptoms of fatigue. disease and how to ensure they can recognize an impending exacerbation. These symptoms may include red, inflamed skin (butterfly rash), joint inflammation, fatigue, generalized weakness, myositis, and fever (Goff and Vanderbeck, 2016). Fever is a classic indication of an exacerbation. If the patient is taking immunosuppressive medications for kidney disease, it would be very important for the nurse to inform the patient and family of the importance of avoiding large crowds and sick people, if possible. Their immunity is reduced and would further increase susceptibility to disease. The patient and their family should also be informed of the importance of good hand hygiene. Proper patient care would include using a mild soap, drying hands completely, and applying lotion. Alopecia is also common with this condition, so it is important that the patient uses a mild shampoo containing protein, and it is best to avoid harsh chemical treatments such as hair dyes and perms. A final lesson that is equally important for the patient and their family knows that lupus can be very stressful for the patient, because when they are in remission, they appear healthy. Exacerbations can often occur unpredictably and deprive the person suffering from the illness of a sense of control. It is important for the nurse to provide information about different coping strategies and community support systems. The Lupus Foundation is a resource specifically.