patient-unable
Procedures
Instructed patient common post-operative guidelines following minimally invasive heart valve surgery include the following: you must notify your doctor before undergoing any invasive medical or dental procedures. All heart valve surgery patients will require antibiotic medications prior to certain dental or medical procedures to prevent a serious infection of the heart and valves called bacterial endocarditis.
Instructed patient common post-operative guidelines following minimally invasive heart valve surgery include the following: follow-up visits with your doctor are very important for management of your medications. You will require blood tests periodically if you are on blood thinners to ensure the dose you are taking is safe.
Instructed patient contact your doctor immediately if you have a fever, chills, redness, bleeding, irregular heart beat, chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, or dizziness. Report redness, swelling, increased drainage or excessive pain at the surgical incision.
SN instructed patient / caregiver to always flush your PEG tube before and after each use. This helps prevent blockage from formula or medicine. Use at least 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water to flush the tube. Follow directions for flushing your PEG tube. If the PEG tube becomes clogged, try to unclog it as soon as you can. Flush your PEG tube with a 60 ml syringe filled with warm water. Never use a wire to unclog the tube. A wire can poke a hole in the tube. Your healthcare provider may have you use a special medicine or a plastic brush to help unclog your tube.
SN instructed patient / caregiver that urine drainage bag of the catheter should always be suspended below the level of the pubic bone, including during walking or sitting. Cleaning the groin and buttock areas regularly will decrease contamination of the catheter and the risk of infection. Anchoring the catheter to the leg with the provided strap prevents tugging injuries of the urethra.
SN instructed patient about suprapubic catheter care, always wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling your catheter, make sure that the catheter tubing does not get twisted or kinked, and that urine is flowing out of the catheter into the urine collection bag, keep the urine collection bag below the level of your bladder, make sure that the urine collection bag does not drag and pull on the catheter, you can shower with your catheter and urine collection bag in place unless you have been told not to, clean the bag every day after removing it from the catheter. Use another container while you clean the bag. To clean the bag, fill it with 2 parts vinegar to 3 parts water and let it stand for 20 minutes. Then empty it out, and let it air-dry.
The patient was instructed to return to the emergency department if: your JP drain breaks or comes out. You have cloudy yellow or brown drainage from your JP drain site, or the drainage smells bad.
SN instructed patient to contact your primary healthcare provider if: you drain less than 30 milliliters ( 2 tablespoons ) in 24 hours. This may mean your drain can be removed. You suddenly stop draining fluid or think your JP drain is blocked. You have a fever higher than 101.5°f ( 38.6°c ). You have increased pain, redness, or swelling around the drain site. You have questions about your JP drain care.
SN instructed patient that fluid restrictions are usually necessary when dialysis is initiated, especially if dialysis only occurs three days a week and if urine production is decreased. Build up of fluid can lead to shortness of breath, swelling, and high blood pressure. There is a limit to the amount of fluid that can be safely removed during dialysis. If fluid limits are exceeded and extra water must be removed, negative effects such as muscle cramping, low blood pressure leading to nausea, weakness, dizziness, and possibly extra dialysis sessions to remove the fluid.
Tracheostomy care Instructed patient caregiver It is important to routinely clean the skin around the opening of the tracheostomy (stoma). This will help prevent skin irritation and the build-up of secretions.