Tag: Personal Hygiene

Duties of a Nursing Assistant

Most of us are familiar with Nursing Assistants, but we dont really know all that is required for them to complete their work efficiently and of the best quality. Time restraints can often make it difficult to decide to do a job better or to get more done. Thus, having an outstanding work ethic is of the utmost importance.

Nursing Assistants must also have excellent communication skills. They are required to have interactions with patients, family members, Nurses, and a variety of other medical professionals. It is imperative that they are able to effectively reply and communication that needs to take place with these various types of individuals.

It is widely known that Nursing Assistants provide basic are for patients including feeding, bathing, and dressing. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg when you take a look at all the various duties involved in being an effective Nurse Assistant. While the specific duties will vary according to the medical facility you work for, there are some that are found in most every one.

Bathing is generally either a shower or a bed bath depending on the level of care the patient requires. Personal hygiene including combing hair, brushing teeth, applying makeup, cleaning dentures all needs to be done for each individual patient. Shaving is also to be taken into consideration, and completed as needed.

Taking patients vital signs are a daily requirement of Nursing Assistants. Taking vital signs includes temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure. This information that is recorded on the patients chart, and reviewed by the Nursing staff and other medical professionals.

For patients requiring assistance with eating, the routine can take 20-60 minutes depending on the abilities of the patient and how much food they consume. The Nursing Assistant needs to document the type of food and drink consumed and the quantities of each on the patients chart. Some patients will need to take vitamins and other nutritional supplements, also the duty of the Nursing Assistant to administer.

It is also the duty of the Nursing Assistant in many medical facilities to be responsible for getting those who can feed themselves ready to be taken to the dining area. This may just be having their grooming done or helping to lift them into a wheelchair and take them to the dining area.

Nursing assistants will need to change any bedding or other soiled materials if found on the patient. This is a case by case basis and will vary each day. While interacting with the patient, you will need to document their behaviors. It is important that you notify the Nurse on duty if you see any changes that are unexpected or not generally seen. You will be trained in what to look for.

Keeping a sharp eye for details will assist any Nursing Assistant with successfully performing all duties. Caring for people changes because their needs change as well as those you are caring for changes. How quickly you are caring for new patients depends on the type of medical facility you work for.

In addition to performing all of these essential duties, Nursing Assistants are responsible for providing emotional support to patients and their families. This can be helping patients feel comfortable with their surroundings, hanging a photo on the wall for them, or helping them compose a letter. Family members may want you to certain things for a patient such as braid their hair daily or keep their fingernails short.

What factors causes Acne?

What causes Acne?

Did you know that common Acne, also known as Acne Vulgaris, is suffered by up to 85% of adolescents and young adults? That is an extremely high portion of the population which is affected by this skin disorder.

The cause of Acne is not fully known, but there are several factors which contribute to the development of this inflammatory skin disorder. Your genes play a role in this, meaning if your parents or grandparents suffered this skin condition, you will be prone to getting Acne yourself.

Most notably, there is a link to a change in hormonal activity, such as menstrual cycles and puberty. In the past the over production of sebum was considered to be the main cause of Acne. Sebum is an oily secretion of fats and the remains of fat producing cells, caused by hyperactive sebaceous glands in the skin.

However, it appears as though the narrowing of follicle channel, where the hair is rooted in the skin, is also a major factor causing common Acne. There are several other factors which can contribute, such as Stress, accumulation of dead skin cells, an allergic reaction to bacteria in the pores, scratching and the usage of anabolic steroids.

What has not been confirmed in any way, is the contribution a fatty diet, including chocolate, potato chips and French fries, may have on Acne. Generally, sufferers should experiment with their diet to ascertain what food stuffs affect the severity of their Acne.

What could have an influence on Acne is a diet high on refined sugar products. Acne is rare in societies which have not been influenced by our western way of life. These people have a low glycernic level in their diets. However, if the reduction of high glycernic foods, such has soft drinks, sweets and white bread, has a significant effect on alleviating Acne disorders has yet to be proved. Keeping a low consumption of these kinds of foods will influence your general health for the better.

Another misconception concerning Acne is personal hygiene. Acne is not caused by dirt, so a poor personal hygiene is not a factor. To make this clearer, Acne causes blockages to occur deep within the follicle or hair channel and as such cannot be washed away. In fact, anything more than a gentle cleansing can cause new lesions by damaging or over drying skin.

On a lighter note, if you have heard that celibacy or masturbation can cause Acne and sexual intercourse can cure it, I have good news for you. There is absolutely no scientific evidence at all that this is true.

Depression And The Elderly

The elderly face many more challenges than their younger counterparts. They are at an age where death is almost expected whether it is reading about a friend in the paper or losing a family member. They also face more health problems. These factors can often lead to depression if older people do not have the appropriate support systems in place. Depression does not have to happen and it is not part of aging. However it can happen and it will prevent an elderly person from living a full life as they are more likely to withdraw into themselves and their memories.

The biggest thing a family can do for their elderly parent or relative is to learn to distinguish between the symptoms of depression and of grief. Grief occurs much more frequently for the elderly as they are more likely to lose loved ones, their health, their mobility, their freedoms, and their careers. Doctors know grief is painful and can last a long time sometimes even weeks. It is when these weeks start to turn in to months and the grievers behaviors start to change that is cause for concern.

Depression in the elderly is more likely to go unchecked and untreated than in any other age group. Often relatives do not visit as often so do not notice how long the person has been feeling sad. Some assume feeling sad is part of aging, although that could not be further from the truth. Even doctors are often more concerned about the physical well-being of their patients rather than their emotion state. The consequences of these inactions are cause for serious concern. Depressed elderly individuals are at a higher risk for alcohol and drug abuse, illness, and suicide. Their relatives need to be able to discern when a person is depressed and to watch out for the warning signs.

Warning signs for depression in the elderly can be isolation, extreme sadness, loss of interest in hobbies, weight loss, difficulties sleeping, feelings of being a burden to their family, lack of personal hygiene, even possible suicide attempts. Sometimes the signs are harder to see as the depressed elderly individual may not even feel sad. It may be that they are constantly worrying, wringing their hands, complaining more than usual, experiencing more aches and pains than before, pacing in the home, or even generally lacking energy. These are all signs of depression that relatives should be on the lookout for so they can help the elderly seek the treatment they need and deserve.

Treatment is available and necessary. As the general population of Americans age, the once-called baby boomers are now turning into our elderly. The population of elderly is steadily increasing at rates never before seen. It is essential for families and relatives to pull together to help keep an eye on our older loved ones. Perhaps it is as simple as inviting a parent, grand-parent, or elderly aunt over for supper. Perhaps it is getting involved at the local recreation center and organizing activities for the elderly. Perhaps it is watching over older family members more closely to make sure they are eating properly and taking their medications on time. Whatever we choose to do, it is our responsibility as the younger generation to look after our elders.