can a nursing assistive personnel report if patient is exhibiting signs of hypoglycemia

by Aliya Lehner 9 min read

Hypoglycemia Nursing Management - RN speak

6 hours ago  · Hypoglycemia Nursing Management. Hypoglycemia refers to low blood sugar or glucose reading in the blood. The severity of its symptoms may seem like diseases but it is not. Hypoglycemia is a sign of an underlying health problem. Most of the time, this condition occurs in medication dependent diabetic patients. >> Go To The Portal


What is the nursing diagnosis for hyperglycemia?

For this reason, there are specific nursing diagnoses that should be considered for patients with hyperglycemia. Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is defined by a 2-hour postprandial blood sugar level greater than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L), to about 180 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L).

How to manage hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes mellitus?

Familiarize the patients and their relatives with the common signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia. Emphasize the benefits of eating right and on time. Explain the need to eat carbohydrate-rich food before exercising. If your patient has a history of hypoglycemia, advice the patients to be ready with candies or chocolates in case of symptoms appear.

Can RNS delegate care to unlicensed assistive personnel?

RNs must check with their state board of nursing to ascertain state-specific differences related to delegation. The final professional decision to proceed with delegation to unlicensed assistive personnel ultimately rests with the registered nurse.

What happens if a patient receives a report from an unlicensed staff?

With the potential for limited training and experience, receiving report from an unlicensed staff member places the patient at risk for an adverse medical event. Information needed.

What would you do if a patient showed signs of hypoglycaemia?

Do not give them any food or drink by mouth, treat as follows:Place them on their side making sure their airway is clear.Give an injection of Glucagon if available and you are trained to give it.Phone for an ambulance (dial 000) stating the person is unconscious AND that the person has diabetes.More items...

What should a nurse do if a patient is hypoglycemic?

Immediate hypoglycemia treatmentEat or drink 15 to 20 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates. These are sugary foods or drinks without protein or fat that are easily converted to sugar in the body. ... Recheck blood sugar levels 15 minutes after treatment. ... Have a snack or meal.

Can UAP Check blood glucose?

Although repositioning a patient is within the scope of practice a UAP, a patient ICP monitoring is unstable and should be repositioned by a nurse. By process of elimination, the UAP can be instructed to check the blood glucose level of a diabetic patient before he or she eats.

What should you do if a client has suspected hyperglycemia?

TreatmentGet physical. Regular exercise is often an effective way to control your blood sugar. ... Take your medication as directed. ... Follow your diabetes eating plan. ... Check your blood sugar. ... Adjust your insulin doses to control hyperglycemia.

When and how do nurses correct hypoglycemia?

Treatment is glucose (modality will vary based on blood glucose level, alertness of patient, and facility protocol) 15 g carbohydrate is equal to 4 oz juice, 8 oz skim milk, or 6 saltine crackers. Recheck blood sugar after 15 minutes and repeat as necessary.

How do you assess a patient with hypoglycemia?

If you have signs or symptoms of low blood sugar, check your blood sugar level with a blood glucose meter — a small device that measures and displays your blood sugar level. You have hypoglycemia when your blood sugar level drops below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L ).

Can nursing assistants check blood sugar?

A nursing assistant is trained to look for symptoms of diabetic emergencies and also prevent hypoglycemia. This can be done by making sure that the patient eats at the same time every day, has adequate snacks between meals, checks his or her blood sugar regularly, and reports any changes in appetite.

What can a UAP not do?

Most UAPs, including nursing assistants, are not certified to change sterile dressings, distribute medications, insert or remove any tubing, or conduct tube feedings. Such tasks should be therefore left to the overseeing nurse or clinical licensed professional.

What can be delegated to a UAP?

In general, simple, routine tasks such as making unoccupied beds, supervising patient ambulation, assisting with hygiene, and feeding meals can be delegated.

What are nursing interventions for hyperglycemia?

Emergency Treatment for Severe Hyperglycemia.Replacement of fluids. The patient will be given fluids — usually intravenously — until rehydration. ... Replacement of electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals in the blood that the tissues require to function effectively. ... Insulin administration.

How do you help someone with a hypo?

Treat the hypo immediately. You can do this by eating or drinking 15 to 20g of a fast-acting carbohydrate....How to treat a hypofive glucose or dextrose tablets.five jelly babies.a small glass of a sugary (non-diet) drink.a small carton of pure fruit juice.two tubes of a glucose gel such as GlucoGel®.

What 6 things should you look for to identify hypoglycaemia?

If blood sugar levels become too low, hypoglycemia signs and symptoms can include:Looking pale.Shakiness.Sweating.Headache.Hunger or nausea.An irregular or fast heartbeat.Fatigue.Irritability or anxiety.More items...•

Critical role of handoff

Handoff communication is defined by The Joint Commission as a process in which information about patient care is communicated consistently. 1 Handoff communication takes place between clinicians to report all relevant patient-care information to the assigned nurse.

Need for change

Barriers to effective handoff communications have been identified in the literature by Riesenberg, Leitzsch, and Cunningham. 5 These barriers include the following:

Many forms

Handoff communication can occur in an individualized or group context. Individualizedreport is when the receiving nurse obtains report on his or her patients from the outgoing nurse. Group report includes nurses and UAP.

Literature review

After a review of the literature, no studies evaluating handoff communication related to the UAP role were found. The Joint Commission Targeted Solutions Tool for Hand-off Communications addressed ED-to-unit and unit-to-skilled nursing facility handoff communications. 9 However, the tool didn't include daily handoff communication to UAP.

Study's goals

The study described here was implemented by four senior-level nursing students under the guidance of a nursing faculty member. The purpose of this research was to determine if handoff communication received by nursing students working in the role of UAP provided the necessary patient-care information to ensure safe, quality care.

Methods

After institutional review board approval was obtained, nursing students were invited to participate in the online study. Inclusion criteria were students who had completed their first med-surg clinical experience of 120 clinical hours.

Results

Sixty-four nursing students employed as UAP participated in the study. The average years of experience as UAP was 1.45. Of the 64 respondents, 81% worked in an acute care facility, 8% worked in a subacute care facility, and 11% worked in a long-term rehab setting. Most participants received their training from their nursing program curriculum.

Pathophysiology

Hypoglycemia occurs when the blood glucose levels drop below 70mg/dL. Once this happens, the counterregulatory hormones stimulate the autonomic nervous system to elicit a response such as tremors, sweating, irritability, tachycardia and hunger.

Etiology

Causes of hypoglycemia are varied, but it is seen most often in diabetic patients. This condition typically arises from abnormalities in the mechanisms involved in glucose homeostasis. The most common cause of hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes is injecting a shot of insulin and skipping a meal or overdosing insulin

Desired Outcome

The patient is expected to have blood glucose levels above 70 mg/dL and the patient should be able to recognize signs and symptoms of low blood glucose.

What is the CNS infection?

What is Meningitis? Infections of the central nervous system (CNS) can be divided into two broad categories: those primarily involving the meninges (meningitis; see the image below) and those primarily confined to the parenchyma (encephalitis).

How long after antibiotics can you take precautions?

Institute infection control precautions until 24 hours after initiation of antibiotic therapy (oral and nasal discharge is considered infectious). Inform family about patient’s conditio n and permit family to see patient at appropriate intervals.

Introduction

Hyperglycemia is a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal. It can create an array of medical complications and has the potential to be life-threatening. For this reason, healthcare providers must know how to identify hyperglycemia accurately and what nursing diagnosis they may need to complete for this patient population.

What is Hyperglycemia?

The term “hyperglycemia” refers to the presence of abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood. Glucose comes from the food we eat, and our body breaks it down into a simple sugar called glucose. Insulin circulates through the bloodstream, helping glucose enter cells for them to be used for energy.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than average. In this case, the body’s immune system destroys insulin-producing cells. This results in diabetes mellitus or “diabetes.” There are different forms of diabetes depending upon how the body produces and utilizes insulin.

There Are Two Main Types of Diabetes

This is also called insulin-dependent diabetes. It occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body cannot use insulin properly. Type 1 diabetics may need to take daily injections of insulin for glucose to enter cells for energy.

What is Metabolic Acidosis?

Metabolic acidosis is a condition caused by low levels of bicarbonate in the blood. Blood pH is slightly elevated above 7.4, and carbon dioxide (CO 2) levels are low. It is important to note that metabolic acidosis can occur when there are normal or high CO 2 levels and low CO 2 levels.

What is Electrolyte Imbalance?

Electrolyte imbalance is a condition in which the electrolytes are altered. The change in electrolyte levels will affect the cells’ ability to function correctly and lead to mental status changes.

Risk Factors for Hyperglycemia

Certain people have an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus. This includes:

What is the meaning of "signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia, insulin peak and action#N#

-signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia, insulin peak and action#N#-preventive measures and compliance to regular blood glucose monitoring#N#-compliance to diet , exercise, and medication regimens#N#-to carry an identification badge or Medic alert bracelet so that during times of emergency, proper care can be provided immediately

What is hypoglycemia in the brain?

Inference. Hypoglycemia is a condition when there is inadequate blood glucose supply for the body’s energy consumption needs. A blood glucose level of below 60mg/dl can define this condition and it is primarily due to an underlying disease, called diabetes mellitus. In connection, glucose is an essential component of the brain’s activity.

What happens if you don't have enough glucose in your brain?

If the brain is deprived of glucose for a long time, the brain cells can be destroyed leading to permanent brain damage (coma), memory loss, and decreased learning ability.

What are the symptoms of a pounding pulse?

Difficulty concentrating, changes in behavior like irritability. Diaphoresis, cold clammy skin. Sleeplessness, confusion. A rapid, pounding pulse. These manifestations may vary in every individual, so they should take note of it to determine their symptoms.

What is delegation in nursing?

Delegation is a skill set that must be taught and practiced for nurses to become proficient in using it in the delivery of nursing care. It is a process that involves professional development and the application of critical thinking, and it improves with education and experience. Delegation skills are learned and developed over time. The RN assumes personal accountability for developing critical thinking skills. This personal accountability is consistent with ANA’s foundational documents, Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: The Essence of the Profession (2010b), Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, Second Edition (2010a), and Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (2001).

What is the difference between responsibility and accountability in nursing?

Accountability is judgment and action on the part of the nurse for which the nurse is answerable to self and others for those judgments and actions. Responsibility refers to the specific accountability of liability associated with the performance of duties of a particular nursing role and may, at times, be shared in the sense that a portion of responsibility may be seen as belonging to another who was involved in the situation” (Fowler, 2008. p. 44).

What is the American Nurses Association?

The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation’s 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent/state member nurses associations and its organizational affiliates. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on healthcare issues affecting nurses and the public.

What is UAP in nursing?

ANA’s Principles for Delegation by Registered Nurses to Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP) is designed to provide overarching principles and relevant strategies for practice in situations where registered nurses (RNs) delegate tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). Because ANA also recognizes that RNs practice in many settings, this document is intended to be useful for RNs practicing across the continuum of care.

What Is Meningitis?

Pathophysiology

Statistics and Incidences

Causes

Clinical Manifestations

Assessment and Diagnostic Findings

  • The diagnostic tests in patients with clinical findings of meningitis are as follows: 1. Lumbar puncture. In general, whenever the diagnosis of meningitis is strongly considered, a lumbar puncture should be promptly performed; examination of the cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) is the cornerstone of the diagnosis. 2. CT scan.A screening computed tomography...
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Medical Management

Practice Quiz: Meningitis

See Also

Further Reading