As the baby-boomer generation grew up and the X and Y generation entered the scene, the American work culture changed. No longer did new graduates seek out service jobs as they did in the ’60s. Now those graduating from colleges and high schools wanted the excitement of technology—independence, self-scheduling, free-thinking, big money, high-tech, and out-of-the-box thinking—all of which were incapable with most healthcare jobs. As a result, healthcare faced a staffing crisis.
So how did they propose to resolve their dilemma? Discharge patients home sooner and show family members how to provide care. They moved forward with their plan; however, they did not develop the infrastructure to support families. The Procedural Skills service line helps fill in some missing information with instructions, videos, and links demonstrating some of the more common healthcare procedures and “need-to-know” preventive care guidelines necessary for safe and effective care at home.
Inserting an NG Tube Help your family member to sit up or raise the head of their bed to at least 30 degrees. Place some protective towels around them if the insertion process stimulates their gag reflex, and they vomit or spit up. Choose which nostril to use by evaluating for tenderness, previous injury, or […]
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Monitoring Vital Signs and Understanding the Respiratory Rate The purpose of the respiratory system is to bring in fresh oxygen and to eliminate discarded carbon dioxide. If there is too much oxygen or carbon dioxide in the system, the individual may show signs of confusion or mental health changes. Signs may include agitation, increased
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Monitoring Vital Signs and Understanding the Pulse One of the blood’s primary functions is to carry oxygen to all parts of the body and remove waste products on the way back. If blood is not circulating, then oxygen is not being delivered where it needs to go. The organs of the body are not receiving the
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Monitoring Vital Signs and Understanding Core Body Temperature Most people consider the average body temperature to be 98.6oF (37oC). Normal, however, is a range throughout the day based on your activity and can also be influenced by things like menstrual and sleep cycles. The normal body temperatures may fluctuate in healthy adults by as
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Monitoring Your Vital Signs and Understanding Your Blood Pressure Your blood pressure has two numbers: Systolic blood pressure (top number)- The top number of the blood pressure represents the amount of pressure the heart needs to push blood out of the heart against the artery walls’ resistance when the heart beats. Diastolic blood pressure
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Relieve Pressure on the Skin – Rotate Pressure Areas Lift and turn your family member away from areas where boney areas press the skin against the bed or other hard surfaces, previously receiving all the pressure based on how they were sitting. When helping them move, do not slide them because sliding causes friction, which
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Vital Signs Each time you call a doctor to report a concern about your family member’s health, expect a question about their blood pressure, breathing, or temperature. Vital signs tell the doctor a lot about what’s happening inside the patient’s body, where the eyes can’t see. The five primary vital signs combined paint a picture
Tube Feedings for Eating Disorders (Focus on Pediatrics) If you are the parent of a child struggling to eat and not gaining weight, your physician may have warned that the next step to prevent malnutrition is to insert a gastric tube for tube feedings. When tube feedings begin, a family caregiver learns to insert a
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Types of Ostomies When many people hear “ostomy,” they immediately think of colostomy. However, there are many types of ostomies, besides a colostomy, that a caregiver might encounter. An ostomy is any surgical opening created to connect an internal organ to the outside of the body. Most function to eliminate bodily waste, but
Safe Medication Management Managing medication is all about knowing what, how, and when is the best way to take a medicine to have the best outcome. In addition, it’s important to understand why you’re taking medicine and what you should expect to happen when you take it. For example, many medications can act like poisons
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