Medical Topics
Healthcare professionals rarely have more than a few minutes to spend going over information with you about your medical condition. It is not because they do not want to help but because they are short-staffed and have too much paperwork to meet regulatory requirements. However, that does not allow you to know how to care for your family who is sick.
Under Medical Topics, I cover a variety of subjects that people deal with at home when sick or injured. That is a lot of topics; therefore, I have multiple subcategories to make it easier for you to find information. If you cannot find the subject you need, send me a request using the request form in the “Contact Me” section. I will research the topic and reply with what I can find.
To know if something is wrong, you need to know what “right” looks like. I’ll go over what “normal” is supposed to be when taking vital signs and reading lab reports and X-rays. I’ll also help you figure out when you need to call the doctor and when you can manage the care yourself.
Being able to say what you want to say so that the person you are speaking to fully gets your message takes time, patience, and skill. It does not come naturally to most people, but often, individuals are thinking about their rebuttal in a conversation instead of listening to the other person. I’ll give you some good tips on how to communicate better in crucial conversations that could really improve your relationships if you practice the techniques.
Often, the more you know about a condition, the easier it is to manage it. Learning the key facts about something like diabetes can teach you how to manage your medical condition better. Links to the community website that is better known for sharing information on that topic are also shared.
How to safely administer medications using the five rights – right person, right drug, right dose, right route, route site. Some of the more frequently administered medications for home use will also be reviewed.
If you have never provided patient care before, it can initially seem very intimidating. Many people are afraid of causing harm or being embarrassed. Both are legitimate concerns but pretty easy to overcome with some simple tools we use to train new nurses. Here, I’ll give you lots of links to sites showing you how to do things. I don’t always watch these to the end so if you find something off, give me a call and have me take a look before putting it into practice. Trust your instincts.