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Endocrine Disorders

Yolanda Flenoury, MSN, RN, CDCES

CONCEPTS Caring Clinical Judgment Collaboration Family Fluid and Electrolytes Growth and Development Safety Self-Care Teaching and Learning

LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon completion of this chapter, the student will be able to: 1. Identify the anatomy and physiology of the endocrine system. 2. Identify areas of focus for performing an age-appropriate endocrine assessment. 3. Identify clinical manifestations of various endocrine disorders. 4. Recognize diagnostic and laboratory findings of patients with endocrine disorders. 5. Describe nursing interventions for the emergency care of patients with endocrine disorders. 6. Describe nursing interventions for the acute and chronic care of the patient with endocrine disorders. 7. Integrate home-care concepts into nursing interventions for the patient with an endocrine disorder. 8. Identify possible alternative therapy interventions for patients with endocrine disorders. 9. Develop a family teaching plan that will optimize therapy outcomes for patients with endocrine disorders. 10. Use critical thinking concepts to evaluate care of the patient with an endocrine disorder.

the hypothalamus to secrete hormones that stimulate the pituitary gland to release hormones that then affect the tar- get organ (Fig. 18–2). Negative feedback occurs when hormone levels are too high. The hypothalamus secretes inhibitory hormones that stimulate the pituitary gland to release inhibitory factors.

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

The endocrine system regulates growth and development; energy use and storage; levels of glucose, fluid, and sodium in the blood- stream; sexual development; and the child’s response to stress (Molina, 2018). The endocrine system consists of organs that produce and secrete hormones (Fig. 18–1). Hormones are chemicals produced by the endocrine glands and circulated in the bloodstream to another part of the body. They activate or inhibit cells in the target organs and act as messengers. There are two types of hormones: protein hormones from amino acids and steroid hormones from fat. The endocrine system communicates using positive and negative feedback systems of communication. Positive feedback occurs when hormone levels start to decline, causing

Glands of the Endocrine System

The endocrine system releases hormones from glands located throughout the body; these hormones act on body tissues to perform an extensive range of functions. Endocrine glands in- clude the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas, sex glands, and adrenal glands (Ilie, 2020). The pineal body and the thymus also have endocrine function, although they are not always con- sidered part of the endocrine system.

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