The Home Nurse
The home
nurse may be any member of the immediate family, a relative, close friend who
has the time and commitment to care for the patient. It is best to designate
one person as the primary care-giver, or home nurse. This avoids confusion for
the patient, and insures that medication is properly administered and
necessary schedules for treatment are followed. Part of the home nurses'
responsibility is to communicate with the health-care professionals charged
with the patient's care. Keeping a written record of the patient's conditions
and observing both his physical health (for example, noting his temperature,
hours slept, the quality of sleep) and his emotional health, can help the
physicians and nurses evaluate the patient. If one person is responsible for
keeping health-care professionals informed about the patient's condition and is
generally in charge, the patient will feel reassured that he is receiving
proper care. It is also important for all concerned that family and friends share
in attending the patient. This will guard against the home nurse becoming
overly fatigued from the stress and isolation that can occur when bearing
the responsibility of caring for someone. Then, too, including others helps
the patient feel connected to family life and to life outside the sickroom.
Family and friends also need to feel included in nursing the patient and ought
to actively participate in his recuperation.
The Principles of Home Nursing
Nursing at home
places the focus on the patient, his needs and well-being. The care of a dedicated and loving
family encourages both his physical and psychological health. In the home a
patient can be cared for as an individual rather than as an illness or injury.
The family has the opportunity, and the time, to confer with the patient and
gain an understanding of the patient's emotional and physical needs. In meeting
those needs, family members acquire a sense of contributing to the health of
the patient.
To best accommodate both the family and the ill
person, the home nurse should consult all family members when reviewing living
and household arrangements.
This will make certain that the entire responsibilities do not fall on a single
family member, and that the proper amount of time is devoted to the care of the
patient. Together the family and the patient (if possible, need to develop
strategies to foster the highest possible level of well-being for all
concerned.
Comments
Post a Comment