Learning date: 08/01/25

Learning activity: digestive system

In this lecture, I learned the structure and the function of the digestive system and its importance in the human body. The digestive system plays an integral part for maintaining homeostasis in the human body.

The main organs of the digestive system are included the oral cavity, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, the liver, pancreas and gallbladder.  Each organ has specific role in digesting food and absorbing nutrients essential for bodily function such as energy, growth and repair.

I also learned about the main functions of the digestive system. These include ingestion, propulsion, mechanical digestion, chemical digestion, absorption and elimination.

The digestion starts with mechanical and chemical process in the oral cavity and continues through the entire gastrointestinal track. Majority of the nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine whereas waste products are eliminated in the large intestine.

The main enzymes and hormones that involve in the digestive system are amylase, lipase, protease and insulin, which plays a crucial role in breaking down food into nutrients that the body can absorb and use for energy, growth and repair.

Moreover, explored the common pathological condition that can affect the digestive systems such as acid reflex, malabsorption disorders, constipation and irritable bowl syndrome.

As trainee nursing associate, it is crucial to understand the structure and the function of the digestive system because this knowledge will enable me to recognise and assess signs and symptoms of health condition that impact the digestive system in timely manner. For instance, being able to assess for symptoms such as change in bowl habits, abdominal pain, bloating or signs of malabsorption is essential in clinical environment in order to provide safe and effective patient centred care.  This knowledge will also help me to understand how nutrition, stress, medications and other health conditions impact the digestive system and importance of patient education.

I aim to use this knowledge during my clinical practice to perform accurate assessment of gastrointestinal conditions and recognise early warning signs and communicate concerns effectively within the healthcare team to deliver holistic patient care. Also, I intend to deepen my understanding of pharmacological treatments for digestive conditions such as laxatives, antacids, and proton pump inhibitors.