viernes, 31 de agosto de 2012

THE URINARY SYSTEM

Kidney/s (riñón/riñones): where blood is filtered and waste products are removed. (dónde la sangre se filtra y los productos de desecho son eliminados).
Bladder (vejiga).
Sphincter (esfínter).
Ureter/Urethra (ureter/uretra).

The filtration units of the kidney are the nephrons. ( las unidades de filtración del riñón son las nefronas).

Juxtamedullary nephron (nefrona yuxtamedular).
Cortical nephron (nefrona cortical).

NEPHRON STRUCTURE
-Renal Corpuscle (glomerulus and glomerular capsule or Bowman´s capsule).
-Renal Tubule (Proximal Convoluted Tubule (PCT), Loop of Henle (ascending limb and descending limb) and Distal Convoluted Tubule).

Blood cleaning by the kidneys (3 processes):
1.Glomerular filtration (most of water, salts, glucose and urea are filtered here)
2.Tubular reabsorption (reabsorption by osmosis, diffusion and active transport).
3.Tubular secretion.

Hormonal control of kidney function:
-Renin-Angiotensin System.
-ADH.
-Aldosterone.

CHARACTERISTICS OF NORMAL URINE
-Amount: 1200-1500l.
-Color: straw, amber or transparent.
-Consistency: clear liquid.
-Odor: faint aromatic.
-No microorganisms present.
-PH: from 4.5 to 8.
-Gravity: from 1.020 to 1.025.
-Glucose, ketone bodies or blood not present.

NORMAL COMPOSITION
-water (96%).
-solids (urea (2%), uric acid, creatinine, electrolytes or salts).

URETHRAL CATHETERISM

-FEMALE

-MALE


Vocabulary
-specimen/sample (muestra para análisis).
-proteinuria: proteins in urine.
-haematuria: blood in urine (hematuria).
-anuria (complete suppression of urine formation).
-oliguria (excretion of an abnormally small volume of urine).
-oedema (edema: an excessive accumulation of serous fluid in the intercellular spaces of tissue).
-MSU (Mis-Stream Urine: normal urine sample).  
-CSU ( Catheter Specimen of Urine - if the urine comes from an urethral catheter).

viernes, 17 de agosto de 2012

MEDICATION

MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION 
ASSESSMENT: 



Reasons for omissions:                                                          
-client unable to receive drug.
-drug refused.
-drug not available.
-IV cannula tissued.
-omitted based on clinical assessment.
-client absent.


ADMINISTER MEDICATION AS PER KARDEX : kardex es la típica tabla o gráfica donde se anota la medicación y todos sus detalles.






















-tablets/pills (pastillas, el más usado es tablets: take your tablets...).
-household remedies (medicinas que no necesitan prescripción médica (medical prescription) como los strepsils por ejemplo).
-GP (general practitioner) signature (la firma del médico).
-Adverse reaction (reacción adversa).
-Side effects (efectos secundarios).
-Overdose (sobredosis).
-Allergy (alergia) - NKDA (No Known Drug Allergies: alergias medicamentosas no conocidas).



ABBREVIATIONS

Frequency:
od: once a day ( una vez al día).
bd: twice a day ( dos veces al día).
tds: three times a day (tres veces al día).
qds: four times a day ( cuatro veces al día).
mané: por la mañana.
nocté: por la noche.

miércoles, 8 de agosto de 2012

Nursing homes: categories of care and documentation.


CATEGORIES OF CARE

e.g: NH (nursing home) RC (residencial care).
-NH-1
-NH-PH
-RC-1
-RC-MP ( E )
-RC-PH ( E )



CHARTING AND DOCUMENTATION (nursing handover)


-Patient record:
-Care plan.
-Observation chart.

CARE PLAN (usual documents used).

  • ADMISSION FORM.



  • GETTING TO KNOW YOU FORM.
  • SUMMARY OF DAILY LIVING ASSESSMENT (to identify care plans needs).



  • MONTHLY WEIGHT, BLOOD PRESSURE, PULSE CHART.
  • CLINICAL RISKS:


  • DOCTOR ADVICE/VISITS.
  • BLOOD  RESULTS.
  • SPECIMEN  RESULTS.
  • DENTIST / PODIATRY.
  • OPTICIANS /PHYSIOTHERAPY/ DIETITIAN.
  • ACCIDENTS/ INCIDENTS.
  • HOSPITAL  ADMISSIONS.
  • NAMED  WORKER REVIEWS / NAMED NURSE ( named nurse: nurse designated as being responsible for a patient's nursing care during a hospital stay and who is identified by name as such to the patient. The concept of the named nurse stresses the importance of continuity of care).
  • RELATIVES: COMPLAINTS, COMPLIMENTS.


ABBREVIATIONS

BP: blood pressure (Reading: 120/80 - one hundred and twenty over/ on eighty).
P: pulse (Reading: 120 - one twenty).
c/o: complain of.
ADLs: activities of daily living.
Pt: patient.
obs: observations.

miércoles, 1 de agosto de 2012

THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM


Nasal cavity / Oral cavity (cavidad nasal, oral).
Top o f the throat : pharynx (faringe).
Epiglottis .
Voice box – larynx (laringe).
Windpipe –trachea (tráquea).
Bronchus, bronchi, bronchiole (bronquio, bronquios, bronquiolos).
Alveoli (alveolo).
Pleural membrane (membrane pleural).
Intercostal space (espacio intercostal).

Apnoea (apnea).
Eupnoea (eupnea).
Dyspnoea (disnea).
Bradypnoea (bradipnea).
Tachypnoea (taquipnea).

LUNG VOLUMES


ASTHMA


USING A NEBULIZER
First of all, fill the chamber of the nebulizer with the medication. Now, attach the tubing to the oxygen outlet on the wall. Next, put on the mask and tighten the elastic straps so that it fits snugly (comfortable) around the head.
After that, turn on the oxygen so the liquid medication turns into a fine mist. Finally, inhale the mist until it´s finished.










ABBREVIATIONS
@4L/min: at four litres per minute.
URTI: upper respiratory tract infection.
SOB: shortness of breath (dyspnea).
CXR: chest x-ray.
Pt ed: patient education.