N
1680
Nail Care
Definition: Promotion of clean, neat, attractive nails and prevention of skin lesions related to improper care of nails
Activities:
• Monitor or assist with cleaning of nails, according to individual’s self-care ability
• Monitor or assist with trimming of nails, according to individual’s self-care ability
• Moisturize area around nails to prevent dryness
• Monitor nails for any changes
• Remove nail polish before taking patient to surgery, as appropriate
1st edition 1992; revised 2004
3316
Nasal Irrigation
Definition: Enhancing nasal mucosa functioning using saline lavage
Activities:
• Prepare irrigating solution, using premade packets or household ingredients
• Instill approximately half of prepared solution into nostril
• Instruct patient to breathe normally through mouth
• Monitor evacuation of fluid return from lower nostril (e.g., amount, color, consistency)
• Repeat procedure in other nostril
• Adjust head position as needed to avoid the draining of solution into back of throat or ears
• Encourage patient to blow nose gently
• Irrigate nasal passages 1 to 3 times per day or as prescribed
• Cleanse irrigating device after each use
• Prepare fresh solution daily
• Discontinue if patient experiences pain, nosebleeds, or other problems
• Instruct patient on techniques for self-irrigation
• Administer nasal medication, if necessary
6th edition 2013
1450
Nausea Management
Definition: Prevention and alleviation of nausea
Activities:
• Encourage patient to monitor own nausea experience
• Encourage patient to learn strategies for managing own nausea
• Evaluate past experiences with nausea (e.g., pregnancy and car sickness)
• Obtain a complete pretreatment history
• Obtain dietary history containing the person’s likes, dislikes, and cultural food preferences
• Identify factors (e.g., medication and procedures) that may cause or contribute to nausea
• Identify strategies that have been successful in relieving nausea
• Consider the cultural influence on nausea response while implementing intervention
• Promote adequate rest and sleep to facilitate nausea relief
• Use frequent oral hygiene to promote comfort, unless it stimulates nausea
• Encourage eating small amounts of food that are appealing to the nauseated person
• Instruct in high-carbohydrate and low low-fat food, as appropriate
• Give cold, clear liquid, odorless and colorless food, as appropriate
• Monitor recorded intake for nutritional content and calories
• Provide information about the nausea, such as causes of the nausea and how long it will last
• Assist to seek and provide emotional support
3rd edition 2000
2620
Neurologic Monitoring
Definition: Collection and analysis of patient data to prevent or minimize neurologic complications
Activities:
• Monitor pupillary size, shape, symmetry, and reactivity
• Monitor level of consciousness
• Monitor level of orientation
• Monitor trend of Glasgow Coma Scale
• Monitor recent memory, attention span, past memory, mood, affect, and behaviors
• Monitor vital signs: temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respirations
• Monitor respiratory status: ABG levels, pulse oximetry, depth, pattern, rate, and effort
• Monitor invasive hemodynamic parameters, as appropriate
• Monitor cough and gag reflex
• Monitor muscle tone, motor movement, gait, and proprioception
• Monitor for tracking response
• Monitor EOMs and gaze characteristics
• Monitor speech characteristics: fluency, presence of aphasias, or word-finding difficulty
• Monitor response to stimuli: verbal, tactile, and noxious
• Monitor sharp/dull or hot/cold discrimination
• Monitor for paresthesia: numbness and tingling
• Monitor for Cushing response
• Monitor craniotomy/laminectomy dressing for drainage
• Monitor response to medications
• Consult with coworkers to confirm data, as appropriate
• Identify emerging patterns in data
• Increase frequency of neurological monitoring, as appropriate
• Avoid activities that increase intracranial pressure
• Space required nursing activities that increase intracranial pressure
• Notify physician of change in patient condition