Nursing

The problem the 42 year-old Janet is gastro, short form of gastroenteritis. This is a medical condition where a patient experiences inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract involving botht he stomach and the small intestine. Other names used to refer to this condition include stomach flu, gastric flu, stomach virus and stomach bug.
Janet shows all the typical symptoms of gastro. She has experienced persistent diarrhoea, nausea, vomting, stomach pain, fever and feeling unwell. The symptoms have advanced slowly over a period of a week. In addition, the diarrhoea has become so intense that the patient feels vey unwell and has lost significant amounts of body fluds. This is made worse by the fact that Janet is unable to withold any fluids in her bowel meaning she is having difficulty eating or drinking. Signs of gastroenteritis are also in the indication given by the patient that she has severe abdominal pain especially when she takes food. Janet has also reported to experience bile coloured bile and greenish diarrhoea. Another common symptom of gastro that Janet has indicated is feeling weal and dizzy to the extent of not being able to suport herself while standing unless assisted.
Top nursing priorities for the patient
My first nursing intervention for Janet suffering from gastroenteritis would be to rehydrate her and rest her colom. I will have to ensure that she takes nothing else by means of mouth until vomiting stops altogether (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2002). Rehydration will be significant because of the fact that early fluid together with electrolyte replacement is often critical for such debilitated patients like Janet. I will begin slowly with clear liquids such as gatorade and not water until I evaluate tolerance. After that I can advance the patient to bland solids within first 24 hours. Meanwhile I will run tests to establish her blood chemistry so that it will inform the sort of electrolytes to be added to intravenous solutions to be administered to her. I will provide for intervals of uninterrupted rest to help Janet decrease the gastro symptoms. I will explain to the patient the rationale behind my treatment regimen of giving no oral intake, observing bedrest, and administration of intravenous fluids (Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2007). I will then advise her to ask for assistance when in need of visiting the bathroom.
More importantly, I will explain to her how to use the commode “hat” so as to measure output. The patient will also be placed in a private room to avoid embarrassment of frequent, bad smelling stools and in effect limit any cross-contamination. I will also make the patient to appreciate the need to wash her hands carefully after each stool and vomiting session. I will also make sure to offer skin protective creams and agents such as petroleum jelly or zinc oxide at the anal region so as to prevent excoriation (Fiebach, 2007). Finally I will discharge the patient with a prescription involving antiinfective agents (antibiotucs) and instruct her to instantly report any recurring symptoms of diarrhoes, vomiting, fever, as well as any change in the frequency and look of stool. Evaluation of the success of my treatment would based on whether the patient reports a recurrance of the gastroenteritis symptoms or not (Garber et al, 2009).
References:
Fiebach, H. Nicholas. (2007). Principles of Ambulatory Medicine, Page 957. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Garber, Scruggs, Jeannie, Gross, Monty, Slonim, D. Anthony. (2009). Avoiding Common Nursing Errors. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (2002). Illustrated Manual of Nursing Practice. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Marshall Cavendish Corporation. (2007). Diseases and Disorders, Volume 2. Singapore, Marshall Cavendish.

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