wound care
Instructed patient about your Foley catheter daily Care: Always wash your hands before and after
doing catheter care. Use soap and warm water. Keep your skin and catheter clean. Clean the skin
around your catheter at least once each day. Clean your skin area and catheter after every
bowel movement. These will help prevent a bladder or kidney infection and will keep you more
comfortable.
Instructed the patient/caregiver on important foot care: inspect feet daily, report any foot problems to MD or Podiatrist, wash feet daily with warm soap and water and pat dry especially between toes, clip nails straight across and gently file with an emery board, wear shoes that support and fit properly, wear socks that are clean and fit properly, avoid going barefooted, avoid exposure to extreme temperatures, and avoid tobacco
SN advised to patient / caregiver that blood glucose monitoring is the main tool you have to keep your diabetes under control. This check tells you your blood glucose level at any one time. Keeping a log of your results is vital. When you bring this record to your health care provider, he /she will have a good picture of your body's response to your diabetes care plan.
SN instructed patient to perform daily meticulous foot care, to be sure to dry feet completely after a bath, checking for any sores, cuts or scrapes and to report any wounds as soon as they appear to SN or MD. Also have a podiatrist cut toenails regularly to prevent ingrown toenails and other complications.
SN instructed patient about cast care: keep the cast clean and avoid getting dirt or sand inside the cast. Do not apply powder or lotion on or near the cast. Cover the cast when eating, do not place anything inside the cast, even for itchy areas. Sticking items inside the cast can injure the skin and lead to infection. Using a hair dryer on the cool setting may help soothe itching, do not pull the padding out from inside your cast.
Fludrocortisone is a corticosteroid. It works by causing the kidneys to retain sodium and acting as a replacement for cortisone when the body does not produce enough.Carry an ID card at all times that says you take fludrocortisone. Tell your doctor or dentist that you take fludrocortisone before you receive any medical or dental care, emergency care, or surgery.Fludrocortisone may cause an increase in blood pressure, salt and water retention, and calcium and potassium loss. Talk with your doctor to see if you need to decrease the amount of salt in your diet or take a calcium or vitamin D supplement. Check with your doctor if any of these most common side effects persist or become bothersome:Difficulty sleeping; dizziness or lightheadedness; headache; increased appetite; increased sweating; indigestion; nervousness
Instructed patient watch for signs of problems. Pay attention to how much of the catheter sticks out from your skin. If this changes at all, let your health care provider know. Also watch for cracks, leaks, or other damage. And if the dressing becomes dirty, loose, or wet, change it or call your health care team right away.
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.
SN instructed patient that Xifaxan is used for cessation of traveler's diarrhea and the reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy. Side effects are dizziness and peripheral edema. SN instructed patient to take rifaximin as directed and to complete therapy, even if feeling better. Caution patient to stop taking rifaximin if diarrhea symptoms get worse, persist more than 24–48 hr or are accompanied by fever or blood in the stool. Consult health care professional if these occur. Advise patient not to treat diarrhea without consulting health care professional. May occur up to several weeks after discontinuation of medication. Caution patient to avoid driving and other activities requiring alertness until response to medication is known.
SN instructed on the benefits of having Advance Directives. What are advance directives? Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to spell out ahead of time what types medical care you would want if you ever became unable to speak for yourself. These documents can help ensure that you get the care you want even if you have an unexpected serious illness or accident. The documents can also make things easier for the people who will need to make decisions for you if you ever become unable to make them for yourself.