PN Fundamentals Critical Thinking, Essay Example

PN Fundamentals Critical Thinking Assignment

Safety and Infection Control

1. Name three principles of body mechanics.
2. Keep center of gravity low
3. Keep the back straight
4. Bend at the knees and hips when lifting
5. Discuss interventions to reduce client falls, both in an acute care setting and in the home.

Supporting the patient to roll over is always better than lifting; this reduces the risk of clients falling from the bed during particular procedures of patient care. When assisting a patient [example for bed-bath] it is important to keep the patient as close as possible to the nurse’s body so as to assure proper control of the patient’s movement while also lessening strains on the nurse’s body as well.

3. What are priority assessments and interventions for a client who is in restraints?

One assessment to be considered is the severity of fall rates in a client. Procedures involved in this approach include identification and treatment of health function and psychosocial problems that have caused the application of restraints on the patient. To make sure that the application of restraint in a patient is just right, periodic evaluation should be considered so as to note whether or not the restraints should be reduced during some time. It should be remembered that there are instances when patients get agitated when placed in restraints hence should be assisted to be pulled off from the said controls the soonest possible time.

4. What are CDC Tier One precautions? For which clients should these precautions be utilized?

The CDC tier one precautionary guidelines insist on the standard precautions considered when dealing with patient body-fluids. Procedures under this tier of precaution are most often than not given attention to when giving hygienic medical attention to patients. To avoid further infections or passing on of germs, this tier tries to provide guidelines that are sure to keep the nurses and the patients safe from transfer of liquids or fluids that are considered dangerous in spreading disease.

5. What is the difference between medical and surgical asepsis? Provide an example of each.

Medical asepsis or also called as the clean technique, is focused on reducing and preventing the transfer of organisms from one person to another or from one body part of the patient to another part of his own body. Relatively, this could include the process of simply cleaning off a possibly infected area to make sure that the infection does not spread entirely or does not transfer at any point.

Surgical asepsis on the other hand [also called as the sterile technique] is the process by which the prevention of the contamination of an open wound is proposed. Relatively, the aim of this process is to protect the area being operated upon from the possible effects of an unsterile environment which could probably worsen the case. Operations in the operating room could be one of the examples under this procedural category.

6. What is the number one way to prevent the spread of infection?

Keeping hands clean is the best way to prevent spread of infection. Since the hands are the most used body part, keeping it clean especially in treating patients could prevent the spread of infection from one part of the body to another or from one person to another.

7. What are nursing actions to reduce exposure to pathogens for a client who is immunocompromised?

It is very important for the nurse to inform both the patient and his/her family about the required and recommended immunization procedures that are necessary for prevention of the patient’s exposure to pathogens. The nurses should also impose an effective process of providing proper hygiene education to the patients as well as their family members to make sure transfer of infection is avoided at all cost.

Basic Care and Comfort

8. Explain how you would encourage a client to safely utilize a walker, crutches, and a cane.

Proper explanation of the benefits of the use of such walking assistance tools should be given to the client. Hence, I would make sure that my patient would understand why the use of a cane, crutches or a walker is being suggested to him/her and how this would likely benefit his/her process of recovery as well as reduce strain from the body while moving.

9. Name two examples of non-pharmacological pain relief measures.
10. Education and psychological conditioning: helping the patient overcome pain through self-belief and personal conviction.
11. Comfort therapy: involves the attention of family, friends and healthcare providers to ease the pain of the patient through companionship
12. What is the difference between active and passive ROM? What complications of immobility do these activities help prevent?

Active range of motion is the process when a person moves his arm or leg with free control of his reflexes. The passive range of motion on the other end is the process by which an assistance or intervention from a healthcare provider is needed to help a patient move the basic muscles of his body. The intervention that passive ROM provides patients basically help avoid muscle atrophy and the stiffening of the body joints.

11. When transferring a client with right sided hemiparesis, which side of the client should the nurse stand?

Since brain hemiparesis affects the body in a cross sections process, the nurse who is assisting a patient with right sided hemiparesis should stand beside the right side of the patient because the weak part of the patient’s mobility would be located at his left side.

12. What are nursing interventions for preventing pressure ulcer formation in an immobilized client?

Regularly repositioning the patient is an essential part of the process of preventing pressure ulcer formation. Gently massaging certain areas to stimulate circulation of blood in the body is essential hence helping the chemical breakdown to happen as regular as needed which in turn prevents ulcer formation.

13. What are nursing actions to prevent or relieve constipation?

Monitoring bowel movements is an essential part of the process. It also helps to make sure that the dietary allowance for the patient is rich in fiber to make sure constipation does not occur or if it does could be immediately relieved.

14. For the client who is immunocompromised, what dietary practices should be followed?

Plenty of fluids is a necessary factor that binds the dietary practices of immunocompromised patients. Along with that comes the avoidance of unpasteurized dairy products. Cooking food thoroughly is also important and cleaning both vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating is necessary as well. Vaccines and medications are a regular part of the dietary requirements. Rich nutrients and vitamins is required while hygienic practices should be well kept.

15. List important factors in the dietary management of a client with hypertension.

Total fat: 27% of calories

Sodium: 2,300 mg

Saturated fat: 6% of calories

Calcium 1,250 mg

Carbohydrates: 55 % of calories

Magnesium 500 mg

Cholesterol 150 mg

Fiber 30 g

16. What diet is recommended for clients diagnosed with chronic renal failure? When a client is on dialysis what nutritional needs increase and why?

For patient diagnosed to have Chronic Renal Failure, it is important to restrict protein, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium so as to avoid further damages to the kidney.

For patient on dialysis, it is important to know their BMP first before adjusting their dietary allowances. Relatively, the restriction applied on patients with CRF should also be considered although variations could occur based on patient’s recorded BMP [basic metabolic panel].

Reduction of Risk Potential

17. List two interventions to help mobilize secretions for a client who has pneumonia.

Provide moderate intake of fluids at 2 liters daily as well as assist patients to have moderate activities that help liquefy and mobilize the secretions. Too much bed rest and sedative could cause further problems, it is essential to motivate the patient to move.

18. A client is experiencing hypoglycemia. What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia? What are your priority interventions when assisting this client?

Symptoms of hypoglycemia may include heart palpitations, shakiness, anxiety, sweating, hunger and a tingling sensation around the mouth. When such symptoms occur, nurses should record all recurring symptoms for evaluation later on to conclude the occurrence of hypoglycemia. It should also occur that the nurse should immediately check the patients level of consciousness as well as his respiratory and circulatory status. If it turns out that the patient could be given oral carbohydrate, they the administration of medication through IV would be best considered.

19. Discuss proper technique for auscultating bowel sounds.
20. Gently place pre-warmed stethoscope in the diaphragm on the abdomen and listen for 15 to 20 seconds.
21. Listen to each of the four quadrants of the abdomen to detect regional variations.
22. Listen for bowel sounds. Returning bowl sounds in a recovering patient is a good sign of overall recovery.
23. What are priority assessments and intervention for a client who has an NG tube?

It is important to assess whether or not that client had nasopharyngeal surgery or septal deviation so as to determine what specific nares are needed to be used. After which, the evaluation of the patient’s capability to cooperate is necessary hence assuring that the materials used for the patient are just right especially in relation to his or her capability to adapt to the tubing that has been instituted.

Physiological Adaptation

21. What are 3 assessment findings that may be noted in a client who is experiencing fluid volume deficit?
22. a) Monitor daily weight: weight usually drops for a person who is experiencing fluid volume deficiency.
23. b) Measure vital signs: vital signs [especially blood pressure] propose certain abnormalities and irregularities compared to regular notes of proper volume of body fluids.
24. c) Chart down fluid intake and output: to note the differences, it is important to chart down both the time and quantity of fluid intake and output of the patients.