Pediatric Basic Care and Comfort Study Guide
This study guide covers Basic Care and Comfort topics for the NCLEX-RN exam, focusing on daily patient care, use of assistive devices, and support for sensory or mobility impairments—key for ensuring patient safety and independence.
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PEDIATRIC BASIC CARE A N D COMFORT STUDY GUIDES
Basic Care and Comfort Study Guide for the
NCLEX-RNExam
How to Prepare for Basic Care
and Comfort Questions on the
NCLEX-RN® Exam
General Information
These questions represent one of four subdivisions of the topic Physiologies!
/ntegrftycovered on the NCLEX-RN® exam. They examine the best practices
for patient care during daily living activities, such as hygiene, physical
movement, and obtaining nutrition. Here are some of the concepts you are
likely to encounter in these questions.
Assistive Devices
An important part of the basic care and comfort of your patients will involve
your ability to assess the need for assistive devices, provide instructions for
their use, and evaluate the patient's ability to effectively use them.
Types of Assistive Devices
Assistive devices can include those for physical ambulation and safety,
such as a walker, cane, and/or crutches. It is also important to keep in mind
that devices such as hearing aids, sound amplifiers, and other alerting devices
may be necessary for a patient with a hearing deficit. Likewise, a service
animal, walking cane, and Braille devices may be utilized by patients
with vision deficits or blindness. A patient with a speech impairment (such
as after a stroke, etc.) may require the use of wordboards, pictureboards, or
handheld speech-generating electronic devices to properly communicate.
Assessing the Patient for Device Need
Basic Care and Comfort Study Guide for the
NCLEX-RNExam
How to Prepare for Basic Care
and Comfort Questions on the
NCLEX-RN® Exam
General Information
These questions represent one of four subdivisions of the topic Physiologies!
/ntegrftycovered on the NCLEX-RN® exam. They examine the best practices
for patient care during daily living activities, such as hygiene, physical
movement, and obtaining nutrition. Here are some of the concepts you are
likely to encounter in these questions.
Assistive Devices
An important part of the basic care and comfort of your patients will involve
your ability to assess the need for assistive devices, provide instructions for
their use, and evaluate the patient's ability to effectively use them.
Types of Assistive Devices
Assistive devices can include those for physical ambulation and safety,
such as a walker, cane, and/or crutches. It is also important to keep in mind
that devices such as hearing aids, sound amplifiers, and other alerting devices
may be necessary for a patient with a hearing deficit. Likewise, a service
animal, walking cane, and Braille devices may be utilized by patients
with vision deficits or blindness. A patient with a speech impairment (such
as after a stroke, etc.) may require the use of wordboards, pictureboards, or
handheld speech-generating electronic devices to properly communicate.
Assessing the Patient for Device Need
Each patient will need a full assessment to determine the proper assistive
devices that would be the most helpful. Just as two patients with the same
medical condition may require different therapies for optimal health and
functioning, no two patients with the same speech, auditory, physical, or
communication deficits will need the same assistive devices. You
must individualizeyour recommendations based upon the specific needs of
each patient.
Assisting with Proper Use of Devices
Nurses play an important educational role fortheir patients who need to use
assistive devices. When the patient has been fully assessed and the correct
assistive device chosen, the nurse must ensure that the patient is able to use
the device safely and in a manner that allows the patient to efficiently and
safely perform activities of daily living while allowing for the maximum
amount of independencepossible.
Evaluating the Success of Device Use
Successful use of assistive devices can be determined by direct
patient observation as well as his or her ability to remain injury-freedue to
correct usage of the device. The patient should also feel a sense of enhanced
self-esteem and self-worth with proper use. If adjustments to physical devices
need to be made (cane length, height of crutches, etc.), you will be
responsible for helping the patient make this correction. Likewise, if a
particular assistive device does not seem to be allowing a patient to perform
to his or her full potential, discuss alternative choicesand make
arrangements for the patient to try something new.
Elimination
Helping patients meet their elimination needs is central to their basic care and
comfort. Both bowel and bladderfunctions can become altered, which will
require you to provide appropriate nursing interventions for your patient's
health and well-being.
Assessment for Elimination Issues
A patient may develop an alteration of either bowel or bladder function (or
both) for many reasons. These reasons include, but are not limited to: age,
devices that would be the most helpful. Just as two patients with the same
medical condition may require different therapies for optimal health and
functioning, no two patients with the same speech, auditory, physical, or
communication deficits will need the same assistive devices. You
must individualizeyour recommendations based upon the specific needs of
each patient.
Assisting with Proper Use of Devices
Nurses play an important educational role fortheir patients who need to use
assistive devices. When the patient has been fully assessed and the correct
assistive device chosen, the nurse must ensure that the patient is able to use
the device safely and in a manner that allows the patient to efficiently and
safely perform activities of daily living while allowing for the maximum
amount of independencepossible.
Evaluating the Success of Device Use
Successful use of assistive devices can be determined by direct
patient observation as well as his or her ability to remain injury-freedue to
correct usage of the device. The patient should also feel a sense of enhanced
self-esteem and self-worth with proper use. If adjustments to physical devices
need to be made (cane length, height of crutches, etc.), you will be
responsible for helping the patient make this correction. Likewise, if a
particular assistive device does not seem to be allowing a patient to perform
to his or her full potential, discuss alternative choicesand make
arrangements for the patient to try something new.
Elimination
Helping patients meet their elimination needs is central to their basic care and
comfort. Both bowel and bladderfunctions can become altered, which will
require you to provide appropriate nursing interventions for your patient's
health and well-being.
Assessment for Elimination Issues
A patient may develop an alteration of either bowel or bladder function (or
both) for many reasons. These reasons include, but are not limited to: age,
decreased muscular tone, physical disorders including anatomical
structural disorders, neurological disorders, and psychological
problems. Medication use can also affect your patient's ability to properly
void urine and/or feces. A full nursing assessment is necessary to identify the
proper interventions for each patient.
Common Terms Relating to Urination Problems
Urinary elimination is more commonly referred to as m/ctur/tion. One of the
most common problems related to micturition is a urinary tract infection (UTI).
• Polyuria: excessive production of urine (>2.5 L in 24 hours). Normal
output is about 2 L a day. Nocturnal polyuria, or nocturia, occurs only
during the night time hours.
• Oliguria: less than normal urinary output (<400 mL in 24 hours).
• Anuria:lack of production of urine or severely scant amount of urine
(<50 mL in 24 hours).
. Dysuria: painful or difficult urination.
• Urinary incontinence: the involuntary leakage of urine or loss of
bladder control. The five main types are: functional, reflex, stress, urge,
and total.
• Urinary retention:the accumulation of urine in the bladder due to the
inability to completely empty it.
• Urgency: the strong, sudden, and uncontrollable urge to urinate.
Common Terms Relating to Bowel Problems
The passage of stool is referred to as defecation. You will need to identify
potential bowel problems based on the age and health of your patient.
• Constipation: less than three bowel movements a week.
. Diarrhea: watery or loose stool. The medical definition of diarrhea is
three or more loose stools over a 24-hour period.
structural disorders, neurological disorders, and psychological
problems. Medication use can also affect your patient's ability to properly
void urine and/or feces. A full nursing assessment is necessary to identify the
proper interventions for each patient.
Common Terms Relating to Urination Problems
Urinary elimination is more commonly referred to as m/ctur/tion. One of the
most common problems related to micturition is a urinary tract infection (UTI).
• Polyuria: excessive production of urine (>2.5 L in 24 hours). Normal
output is about 2 L a day. Nocturnal polyuria, or nocturia, occurs only
during the night time hours.
• Oliguria: less than normal urinary output (<400 mL in 24 hours).
• Anuria:lack of production of urine or severely scant amount of urine
(<50 mL in 24 hours).
. Dysuria: painful or difficult urination.
• Urinary incontinence: the involuntary leakage of urine or loss of
bladder control. The five main types are: functional, reflex, stress, urge,
and total.
• Urinary retention:the accumulation of urine in the bladder due to the
inability to completely empty it.
• Urgency: the strong, sudden, and uncontrollable urge to urinate.
Common Terms Relating to Bowel Problems
The passage of stool is referred to as defecation. You will need to identify
potential bowel problems based on the age and health of your patient.
• Constipation: less than three bowel movements a week.
. Diarrhea: watery or loose stool. The medical definition of diarrhea is
three or more loose stools over a 24-hour period.
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