Objectives:
a.To restore health making the patient feel welcome and at ease in the hospital
b.To initiate nursing care treatment without delay
Indications:
a.For sick person suffering from any severe diseases/disorders
b.For person who wants to restore health for relative degree of wellness
c.For people to be operated
Nursing Alert: Help the patient express himself and treat him as a dignified human being who needs respect and privacy, courtesy, understanding and reassurance. The patient is a person and all his feelings will be intensified by his hospital experience.
Equipment: Patient’s chart/record, graphic sheet, assessment form, notice of admission form, progress notes
ACTIONS:
1.Greet the patient and his relatives.
Rationale: Greeting is a sign of welcome. It reduces tension or stress and also makes the recipient at ease.
2.Gather the data needed.
Rationale: To identify his health needs.
3.Take the patient to his room or bed, help him put on the hospital “camisa” or gown and put him to bed unless he is ambulatory.
Rationale: Taking him to his room or bed, gives him a feeling of security, privacy and belonging. The hospital gown initiates him into his new role – that of a patient.
4.Take care of the patient’s belongings.
Rationale: Sorting out belongings that can be brought home prevents losses, and the patient’s feels assured that his possessions are safe.
5. Orient him as to the facilities and equipment inside his room.
Rationale: The orientation facilitates adjustment and comfort and reduces apprehension.
6.Take vital signs
Rationale: It provides baseline data on the initial condition of the patient.
7.Give instructions on the proper collection of urine and stool and other specimens.
Rationale: Clear instructions prevent embarrassment and facilitates obtaining of accurate specimens for diagnostic purposes.
8. Orient relatives about hospital rules and policies. Tell them whom to approach for any question or problems.
Rationale: This information reduces anxiety and prevents misunderstanding and keeps lines of communication open.
9.Record facts and observations on the patient’s chart.
Rationale: Recording or reporting facts and observations right away minimizes mistakes and provides a basis for the formulation of a nursing care plan.