high blood pressure
General
SN instructed patient that Highblood pressure makes your heart work harder than it needed to before. Over the space of many years, this extra effort can lead to the heart muscle becoming thicker and less effective at pushing the blood round. This allows fluid to build up in your lower legs and ankles, which causes them to swell up.
Sn Instructed on importance in logging blood pressure daily to ensure medication treatment is working and to manage medical condition. Instruction to log at about the same time daily. Instructions on parameters and when to call physician / nurse. Instruction given to take log to physician's apt to show physician ( MD ) his blood pressure readings. Patient / caregiver verbalized understanding
SN instructed patient on spontaneous coronary artery dissection ( SCAD ) and stent placement. A stent is a small rod made out of metal or fabric. It is inserted into a coronary artery when there is a blockage or when the artery is narrow. A coronary artery is a blood vessel that carries oxygen to the heart muscle. You received a stent due to coronary artery disease ( also called SCAD). That is caused by a thickening of the inside walls of the coronary arteries. This thickening is called atherosclerosis. A fatty substance called plaque builds up inside the thickened walls of the arteries, blocking or slowing the flow of blood. If your heart muscle doesn't get enough blood to work properly, you may have angina ( chest pain ) or a heart attack. The stent will help hold the artery open so blood can flow and help keep the artery from narrowing again. You will need to take medicine that keeps the stent open and blood flowing. It is very important to take the medicine exactly how your doctor tells you to take it. In addition to taking medicine, the best way to keep your heart healthy is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Quit smoking. Make sure you keep your blood pressure and cholesterol at healthy levels. Exercise as recommended by your doctor. Eat a heart - healthy diet. Patient verbalized understanding well.
SN educated patient on the importance of daily vital sign monitoring. Due to patients disease processes it is important to monitor blood pressure, weight, pulse and oxygen daily if equipment is available. SN instructed patient to weigh correctly they need to wake up, pee and than weigh daily at the same time if possible, same amount of clothing, same area. Patient is to weigh prior to eating/drinking in the morning. Notify home health or PCP if -/+ 3 lbs in a day or +/-5 lbs in a week is seen. SN educated patient to monitor blood pressure and pulse, and instructed to check before medications and if elevated/low recheck in 1-2 hours. SN educated patient to always log vitals so patients MD has a larger snap shot on what is going on.Patient/CG verbalized understanding
SN taught patient rise slowly and pause prior to ambulation to ensure proper blood pressure adjustment. Pump ankle 5-10x to reduce risk of blood pressure drop after rising from seating position. Make sure you feel your seat on the back of your legs prior to sitting. Use appropriate assistive device to ambulate. Take extra precaution while turning, around rugs/mats and avoid walking backwards.
Instructed patient 1 in 4 heart attack and stroke survivors has another. Managing highblood pressure and cholesterol, making healthy lifestyle choices and taking medications like aspirin as recommended by your doctor, may help lower your risk of a second event.
SN instructed that symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) include sudden sweating, shaking, fast heartbeat, hunger, blurred vision, dizziness, or tingling hands/feet. It is a good habit to carry glucose tablets or gel to treat low blood sugar. If you don't have these reliable forms of glucose, rapidly raise your blood sugar by eating a quick source of sugar such as table sugar, honey, or candy, or drink fruit juice or non-diet soda. Tell your doctor about the reaction immediately. Low blood sugar is more likely if you drink large amounts of alcohol, do unusually heavy exercise or do not consume enough calories from food. To help prevent low blood sugar, eat meals on a regular schedule, and do not skip meals. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to find out what you should do if you miss a meal.
Instructed caregiver how to prevent Pressure Ulcers for Bed bound patients: Protect the Skin patient from injury - Avoid massaging the skin on bony parts of the patient body. Limit pressure on bony areas by changing positions frequently. If the patient in a bed, preferably every 2 hours.
Instructed patient abour the V.A.C. therapy System is an Advanced Wound Therapy System consisting of a V.A.C. Therapy unit that delivers negative pressure and a sterile plastic tubing with SensaT.R.A.C, pressure sensing lumens that connect the therapy unit to the dressing Special foam dressings. KCI recommends the V.A.C. Dressings be changed every 48 to 72 hours, but no less than 3 times per week. Patient has the ability to move around depending on the condition, the wound location and type of therapy unit prescribed. The V.A.C. Therapy System may be disconnected so you can take a shower. Therapy may not be off any longer than two hours per day.
SN instructed the reason it is important to help or use proper turning techniques to prevent friction and shearing of skin. Friction usually, but not always, accompanies shear. Friction is the force of rubbing two surfaces against one another. Shear is the result of gravity pushing down on the patient's body and the resistance between the patient and the chair or bed. When combined with gravity/force (pressure), friction causes shear, and the outcome can be more devastating than pressure alone.