wound infection
Instructed caregiver you can take these steps to reduce the patient's risk of urinary tract infections: drink plenty of liquids, especially water. Drinking water helps dilute your urine and ensures that you'll urinate more frequently allowing bacteria to be flushed from your urinary tract before an infection can begin.
Instructed patient to get a flu shot each year and decrease the exposure to the flu. Avoiding the flu is especially important for people who have or are at risk for heart disease. This highly contagious infection causes symptoms similar to the common cold, only more severe, other symptoms include debilitating muscle or body aches, vomiting and diarrhea, and fever. Having a serious infection puts extra stress on your heart, which increases your heart's need for oxygen. Coughing and congestion can make breathing more difficult. As a result, your heart may not get sufficient oxygen. Patient verbalized understanding.
Instructed patient how can I prevent infections. Keep your mouth clean. Saliva and mucus contain germs that cause infection if they enter your airway. Brush your teeth twice a day. Suction your mouth as needed. Use a mouth wash twice a day or as directed. Take deep breaths and cough 10 times each hour. This will decrease your risk for a lung infection. Take a deep breath and hold it for as long as you can. Let the air out and then cough strongly. Deep breaths help open your airway. You may be given an incentive spirometer to help you take deep breaths. Put the plastic piece in your mouth and take a slow, deep breath, then let the air out and cough. Repeat these steps 10 times every hour.
Instructed patient how do I care for my skin around my trach tube. Clean your skin at least once each day. You may need to clean it more often if you cough up a lot of thick mucus. You may need someone to help you clean your skin. Wash your hands and put on gloves. This will prevent infection. Suction the area around your stoma. This will help remove mucus .Clean your skin around the stoma, clean the tube flanges, change wet or dirty trach ties., place a gauze between your skin and the flanges and check your skin every day for signs of infection. Look for redness or swelling of the skin around your tube. Also look for pus, bleeding, or a rash.
SN instructed patient the following way you can help prevent an infection wash your hands, use soap or an alcohol-based hand rub to clean your hands. Check your skin every day for signs of infection, such as pain, redness, swelling, and oozing. Contact your primary healthcare provider if you see these signs.
SN instructed patient and caregiver on medication levofloxacin used to treat a variety of bacterial infections . Reviewed side effects with both and advised to drink plenty of fluids while taking this medication , continue to take this medication until the full prescribed amount is finished, even if symptoms disappear after a few days. Stopping the medication too early may result in a return of the infection.
Instructed in management and control such as diet as prescribed by MD, adequate hydration 1000-2000cc 24 hours if not contraindicated, importance of high protein (meat, legumes, eggs, daily), iron and vitamin supplements if indicated.
Instructed in factors that contribute to poor skin integrity such as immobilization, poor circulation, moisture, heat, anemia, shearing forces, poor nutritional status.
Instructed in new medication Prednisone and in S/E such as euphoria, insomnia, psychotic behavior, vertigo, headache, paresthesia, seizures, pseudotumor cerebri, heart failure, hypertension, edema, arrhythmias, thrombophlebitis, thromboembolism, cataracts, glaucoma, peptic ulceration, GI irritation, increased appetite, pancreatitis, nausea, vomiting, menstrual irregularities, increased urine calcium levels, hypokalemia, hyperglycemia, carbohydrate intolerance, growth suppression in children, muscle weakness, osteoporosis, hirsutism, delayed wound healing, acne and various skin eruptions.
Instructed in new medication Pred Forte to manage inflammation of palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva, cornea and anterior segment of globe. In addition, warned of possible S/E, such as, increased intraocular pressure, thinning of cornea, interference with corneal wound healing, increased susceptibility to viral or fungal corneal infections, corneal ulceration, discharge, discomfort, foreign body sensation, glaucoma exacerbation, cataracts, visual acuity and visual field defects, optic nerve damage with excessive or long-term use, systemic effects, and adrenal suppression with excessive or long-term use. Instructed to wash hands before and after installation and warned not to touch tip of dropper to eye or surrounding area. Apply light finger pressure on lacrimal sac for 1 minute after installation. On long-term therapy, have frequent tests of intraocular pressure. Instructed not to share drug, washcloths, or towels with family members, and notify MD if anyone develops same signs or symptoms. Stress importance of compliance with recommended therapy. Notify MD if improvement does not occur within several days or if pain, itching, or swelling of eye occurs. Instructed not to use leftover drug for new eye inflammation because serious problems may occur.