Quiz me Nurse

The clinical scenario above demonstrates the situation of a new nurse. She is assigned to the ER and is really scared. She does not know how to get organized. ** A word of caution. Nursing is a wonderful profession. Taking care of the sick and helping them to get well, is a great accomplishment. Perfecting good clinical judgement and performance, cannot be  accomplished by high scores only.  Regardless of where a nurse works, using good communication skills assessment tools and sound clinical judgement , will all be included  in a day's work. Here are some of the things the nurse should be aware of : - be informed about patient diagnosis, history and treatment - being familiar with the plan of care - assessing family needs / social services - awareness of the unit's policies and procedures Learn more by clicking on the links: Medical abbreviations     Easy EKG reading  

Scenario : The image above is an example of a patient who had surgery  and refuses to cooperate with breathing exercises. She is now beginning to display the signs / symptoms of postoperative pneumonia. What are some of the risks of the surgical patient? The surgical patient is at risk for: hypothermia , dehydration, postoperative pneumonia, DVT , paralytic ileus or a cardiac event. In the immediate postoperative period, a patient may develop  pneumonia,  if  breathing exercises  are neglected .The incentive  spirometer is  used for this purpose.The   plan   of care is used to  reflect what is needed to improve patient progress.                                                                                     ...

What is DVT?  ( Deep vein thrombosis) In   Deep Vein Thrombosis , a  blood clot forms in the veins of the calf and to the lungs. Any patient who is confined to bed, for a long time, is at risk. Patient educatio n is very important in the prevention of DVT. Are you aware of the setbacks that may result from the patient who is confined to bed, for a prolonged period of time? Here are some of the problems that may result: - Decubitus ulcers may develop and can be avoided. Repositioning, good body alignment and soft booties are ways to prevent this. The Braden scale is used for predicting pressure sores. - DVT ( Deep vein thrombosis) can be avoided by encouraging leg exercises, using TED hose or the SCD device on the patient confined to bed. WHY TPN? TPN ( Total Parenteral Nutrition) may be necessary to provide adequate nutrition for the patient who is unable to have foods orally. Please click on the links below and watch the video for more information: DVT   an...

What is an ileus?  An ileus may develop in the postoperative patient,  following abdominal surgery . It may also occur from the use of narcotics. The warning signs include: abdominal pain , distention and absent bowel sounds. Learn more about:  PACU  and  Quiz question s  Learn more about:  Organizational skills