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What are the Stages of Infections?

admin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 01:18:02 +0000

Incubation Stage
The incubation period is the time between entry of infectious agent in the host and the onset of symptoms. During this time, the infectious agent invades the tissue and multiplies to produce an infection. The client is typically infectious to others during the latter part of this stage. For example, the incubation period for varicella (chickenpox) is 2 to 3 weeks. the infected person is contagious from 5 days before any skin eruptions to no more than 6 days after the skin eruptions appear.

Safety
Always verify the incubation period of a suspected infection. Remember that a client may be able to transmit the infection to another person before the onset of symptoms.

Prodromal Stage
The prodromal stage is the time from the onset of non-specific symptoms until specific symptoms begin to manifest. The infectious agent continues to invade and multiply in the host. A client may also be infectious to other persons during this time period. IN the client with chickenpox, a slight elevation in temperature will occur during this stage, followed within 24hours by eruptions on the skin.

Illness Stage
The illness stage is the time when the client has specific signs and symptoms of an infectious process. The client with chickenpox will experience a further rise in temperature and continued outbreaks of skin eruptions for at least 2 to 3 more days.

Convalescent Stage
From the beginning of the disappearnce of acute symptoms unitl the client returns to the previous state of health. The client with chickenpox will see the skin eruptions and irritation begin to resolve during this stage.

What is Sequelae?

admin — Tue, 11 May 2010 05:21:33 +0000

Motor disturbances: Parkinsonian syndrome or paralysis agitans

Face is expressionless and mask-like
Constant, uncontrollable, rhythmic tremor or voluntary muscles
Speech is monotonous and jerky
Difficulty in initiating, controlling or arresting volutary movements
Propulsive gait, with forwrd or backward motion increasing almost to run
“Pill-rolling” tremor of the hands.

Mental disturbance: mental dullness, deterioration, lethargy

Endoctrine disturbances: Some grow fat, other grow thin; sexual characteristics are acentuated or lost; hair distribution is changed

Management:

Prevention: Eradicate source. Follow the DOH CLEAN program
C – chemicaly-treated mosquito net
L – larvae-eating fish
E – environmental sanitation
A – anti-mosquito
N – neem tree (or eucalyptus or oregano)

Control

Medical asepsis

Treament : largely symptomatic or supportive

Medical Care
- sedatives
- spinal tap to relive increased ICP and severe headache
- antibiotics
- typhoid vaccine treatment

Nursing Care

Quiet, dark, non-stimulating environment
skin, oral and nasal hygiene
eye care, protected from strong light

What is German Measles?

admin — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 02:06:01 +0000

Important Information

An acute contagious disease
Essentially a mild childhood disease, the danger actually being congenital defects in the newborn if apregnant woman suffers from it or is exposed to someone with the disease:
* microcephaly
* congenital heart defect; cataract; deafness and mutism

AKA: Rubella; 3-day measles

Causative Agent: Pseudoparamyxovirus (Rubella/Toga virus)

Incubation Period: Usually 10 days

Period of Communicability: 4-7 days after the onset of catarrhal symptoms

Mode of transmission: droplet infection

Signs and Symptoms:
Pre-eruptive stage

Forcheimer’s spots – pathognomonic enanthema which consists of fine red spots on the soft palate or uvula, seen on the 1st day.
With or without slight fever, headache, mild sore throat, loss of appetite, runnynose.
Leukopenia during febrile stage

Eruptive stage

Rash cardinal sign
Oval, rose-red papules about the size of a pinhead
Begins on the face, covers the entire body in 24 hours (cephalocaudal)

Post-eruptive stage

Rashes disappear on the 3rd day
Lymph nodes subside

Management: similar to Rubeola measles

What is Tinea Corporis / Tinea Pedis?

admin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:34:30 +0000

AKA: “An-an“; athlete’s foot

Causative Agent: Microsporum and Trichophyton (rubrum, mentagrophytes)

Incubation Period: 4-10 days

Period of Commuicability: As long as lesions are present

Mode of Transmission: Direct or indirct contact with skin, contaminated clothing (towels, handkerchief, etc), floors, shower stalls, benches

Signs & Symptoms:

Flat, spreading, ring-shaped lesions
Reddish periphery, vesicular or pustular
Maybe dry and scaly or moist and crusted

Management:
Prevention

Wash towels and clothing with hot water
General cleanliness in swimming pools and shower and dressing rooms of gyms.

Control

Use of fungicidal agents

Treatment

Fungicides – topical miconazole, ketoconazole, clotrimazole, toinaftate; oral Griseofulvin

Nursing Care of Head Injury

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:30:31 +0000

Emergency Care

First consideration is to ensure a clear airway
Keep spine straight; patient is carefully turned to a lateral or semiprone position
Flexion or hypertension should be avoided in case there is a cervical fracture
Keep patient covered, quiet and undistrubed

General Care:

Establish airway
Prevent aspiration pneumonia
Check for cardiovascular complications
Serach for new evidence of spinal injuries. Do not allow the newly injured patient to move about even though he/she is conscious.
Observe the skull and scalp injuries. cover open head wound with the cleanest material avaialble at the scene
Prevent infection. Gove prophylactic dose for tetanus.
Observe for CSF leakage – otorrhea, rhinorrhea, Battle’s sign-tenderness and eccymosis or mastoid bone especially for basilar skull fracture
Obeserve for signs and symptoms of increased ICP; watch for nuclear rigidity.
Control restlessness and pain. Narcotics are contraindicated following head injury, and are not given if ICP is prevent.
Maintain fluid/electrolyte; acid-base balance and adequate nutrition. Record I & O.

What is Hypnotherapy?

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:45:27 +0000

Hypnotherapy is an altered state of consciousness whereby clients are helped to use their own mental associations, memories and life potential to achieve therapeutic goals

It is a technique used in helping clients discover the critical experiences in their past that have been responsible for their present distress

Major Concepts

The trance state is a naturally occurring phenomenon. It provides an opportunity fo r the therapist and client to make a maximum use of their responses and focus intently on mastering psychological and physical distress.
The effectiveness of hypnosis is enhanced by helping the client develop a new perspective on his problems
The intense concentration and willingness to suspend critical judgments that are characteristic of the trance staet can facilitate the process
Maybe induced by a skilled therapist, or it may be self induced thourgh a pre-learned method.

Goals of Therapy

Relieve pain
Reduce anxiety
Change undesirable behavior/habits
Increase recall

Roles of the Nurse

Assess the client’s ability to use hypnosis in a therapeutic way
Have a thourough knowlege of the client
Induce client into a trance like state with a suggestion or strategy
Explore a topc that is porblematic and cuasing distress

What is Pediculosis Capitis?

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 01:36:49 +0000

Important Information:

Propagates in hairy regions of the body
Nits (louse eggs or “lisa”) cling tenaciously to the shaft to the hair
More commonly a disease of females and of children than adults

AKA: Head Lice

Causative Agent: Pediculus capitis

Mode of Transmission:

Passed from person to person, the source of infestation being other infested persons or their personal belonging, especially their clothing
Common among school children because of their close proximity inside the classroom

Signs & Symptoms:

itching: the rist and predominant symptom
irretative dermatitis with excoriations and crusting

Management:

Kwell shampoo is applied to the scalp and ahir for 30 minutes and them washed off.

Aphasia (Dysphasia)

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 01:30:52 +0000

Aphasia (Dysphasia) is a general term used to describe organic disturbances in language resulting from cortical tissue damage rather than from defective innervation of the muscles used in speech or from mental deficiency.

Nursing Care:
a. Rehabilitation should be done 6 to 12 weeks immediately after a stroke which is the “optimum treatment period, ” but additional improvement can take place for 2 or more years after a stroke

b. Formal speech therapy starts after the acute phase
c. Provide verbal stimuation
d. Speak at eye level contact
e. Talk slowly and in a natural tone of voice
f. Use simple workds and short sentences to allow sufficient time for he patient to answer question
g. use word cards, pictures, slate boards, and audio tapes

What is Bell’s Palsy?

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 03:23:18 +0000

Bell’s Palsy (facial paralysis) involves the facial nerve (7th cranial nerve) on one side, producing weakness or paralysis of the facial muscle.

Causes: unknown

Sign & Symptoms: feeling of numbness in the face, distortion of face from paralysis of facial muscle; speech difficulties, inability to eat on affected side; pain behind the ear or in the face.

Rx:

Majority of the patients usually recover in 3 to 5 weeks
Start facial massage
Promote pain relief; protect the involved eye
ACTH T.M – to prevent or minimize denervation and permanent sequela
Teach patient facial exercise such as whistling, wrinkling the forehead, blowing air out and puffing cheeks.

Care of Clients with Alterations in Coordination

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 02:04:16 +0000

Radiological Studies

Roentgenogram (x-ray film) -It is used to determine injury to or tumor of the bones and soft tissues

Bone Scan – A radionuclide such as 99Tc – disphosphonate is administered IV, and scan is done several hours later. This 99Tc disphosphonate is favored bacause scanning can tabke place within 1 to 3 hours after injection. A client may be given pain medication before scanning to make him or her more comfortable. Immediately before the scan, the client should void to eliminate the radioactive material from the kidney and the bladder.

Arthrography- an injection of a dye or air into the joint for X-ray study, without special preparations, is needed.

Blood Studies - in diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis, for instance, it is done to the presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) in a person with rheumatoid arthritis. Normal values indicate the absence of rheumatoid factor; while 80% indicates positive for rheumatoid arthritis in adults

Arthroscopy – This is done by inserting a special endoscope (arthroscope) into the joint to visualize the joint structure, perform biopsy of the joint, or remove loose bodies. A client receives a local anesthetic before the procedure, which is usually done in the surgical area. AFter the procedure, a pressure dressing is applied and the joint should remain immobilized for several hours depending on the extent of the procedure.

Electromyography (EMG) – it measure and records the electrical activity of the musckes, without special preparation. Reassure the client that there is not undue pain or danger of electric shock.