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.
Emergency Airway Management Techniques Airway Obstructions -Choking Emergency airway management for choking focuses on helping individuals use their natural reflexes to cough out what is choking them or create an artificial cough using the Heimlich maneuver. Though tempting, do not slap someone on the back who is coughing while choking. When we get an irritant […]
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Videos Related to Tube Feedings Procedure for Nasogastric Insertion Tulane Center for Advanced Medical Simulation and Team Training Published on Aug 20, 2018, Simple steps for inserting an NG tube ******************************************** Jejunostomy Feeding Instruction Published on Aug 7, 2017, an instructional video illustrating how to properly use your jejunal (J) tube pump. ******************************************** Unclogging a
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Parental Nutrition (TPN) Some medical conditions prevent the body from being able to absorb nutrition through the GI tract. When that happens, the body cannot function properly without Parental Nutrition (PN) due to the effects of starvation. With starvation, tissues begin to break down, wounds won’t heal, and the internal organs stop working properly. To
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Managing Oral Secretions Many medical conditions produce thick secretions that are difficult for weak individuals to clear out of their lungs. These secretions block the airway passages preventing oxygen from entering the bloodstream. What causes this problem? Suctioning may be the only way to remove these secretions to allow a person to breathe. However,
Tracheostomy Care at Home The normal pathway to receive air into the lungs and expel carbon dioxide is into the mouth or nose, down the throat, and into the lungs. Suppose a blockage occurs anywhere along that path preventing air from reaching the lung. An emergency surgical incision may be performed through the neck and
Breathing Therapy When someone is struggling to breathe, the diagnosis’s name may help the doctor determine the course of treatment, but for the caregiver, all you want to do is help them breathe easier. Therefore, it is often useful to become familiar with both the common and unusual symptoms of a condition and the “home
Abnormal Breath Sounds Noisy Breathing Normal breathing is quiet. When breathing is noisy, it’s considered abnormal breath sounds and often means something about the airway is making it more difficult for air to get through. Most of the time, the “something” is congestion that developed due to an infection, but it can also be
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Using Proper Body Mechanics Knowing and using proper body mechanics helps you avoid hurting yourself. Without them, one wrong move can give you a lifetime of pain and suffering. *BODY MECHANICS ABC’s A- Adjust Equipment Height Adjust the height of any equipment you are using to allow you to work at a comfortable level. For
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How to Prevent Spreading Infections by Touching (Contact) an Object Directly or Indirectly Many infections spread through direct contact (touching the source) or indirect contact (touching something or someone who has contacted the object and has the organism on it.) The precautions for infections spread by contact require a barrier (i.e. something to prevent
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Preventing Skin Breakdown If your family member is immobile, they are at risk of developing skin breakdown. Learn the warning signs and ways to prevent breakdowns from occurring. Family Needs Information Information on skincare, immobility, and fall prevention are essential bits of information for all caregivers. If caring for someone fragile,
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