Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1911-03-25
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NURSING
THE SICK ROOM.

Inc cnOlce OF the SICK room Is very
important A patient in a dark, poor
ly ventilated one has a harder battle
to fight than one in a properly select
ed room 1t should be on the sunny
side of the house, well ventilated and
as far as possible from the noise of
the streets and the doors of the
kitchen.
In arranging the room, all unneces-
sary furniture should be removed, es-
pecially bric-a-brac, which forms a
repository for stray germs The floor
Is preferably bare, although small
rugs or strips of carpet should be laid
down to deaden the noise of foot
steps. Place the bed in a position SO
that the direct light from a window
does not fall on the patients eyes.
Provide an artificial light that also is
shaded from the patients eyes, but
which can be turned on brightly in
case of necessity. Sudden changes may
arise in the night, when a good light
is an absolute necessity and a few mo-
ment's delay may mean disaster. In
cases of diseases of the brain or eyes
the physician will probably wish to
keep the room darkened. Care should
be taken that the curtain or shade
does not flap in the wind and SO annoy
the patient.
The temperature o. the room should
be kept as even as possible. Remem-
Der that the temperature usually falls
at night during the time when the vi
tai powers of the patient are at the
lowest, that is, in the early morning
hours Because of this, care should
be taken to provide extra covers at
that time. Unless otherwise directed,
it is safe to keep the temperature OF
the room for a fever patient at about
| so degrees Fair. For patients afiict-
ed with other diseases, the thermome-
| ter should register about 6S degrees
Fair. The temperature of the room
| must be regulated by turning the ard
| fetal heat off or on, not by closing
windows that are needed for ventila-
lion. In some cases dry heat from a
furnace is very irritating. This may
be remedied by keeping a kettle OF
| boiling water in the room. To keep
The room cool in hot weather is not
always an easy matter. Keeping the
blinds down and the windows closed
IN the sunny side during the day will
produce very good results. A wet
sheet, hung in the window or where
breeze will blow over it, often is q
material aid in cooling the room. II
| an electric fan is used, care must be
aiken that the direct current does not
| strike the patient.
Good ventilation is necessary In
j every disease. Formerly patients were
confined in dark rooms with all doors
md windows closed. 1t is surprising
low many recovered under these con
iftions. Sunshine and fresh air are
natures two most potent remedies. IL
cold weather it may not be desirable
% have the windows open in the pa
tents room, but in this case windows
an adjoining room should be low
cred and the door between the room.
eft open Usually though, the room
IAN be ventilated directly. Raise tn,
window about six inches from the bot
ON; fit a board tightly under it
Fresh air will then came in between
he two sashes and danger of a direc
iraft on the patient will be avoided
Every morning the room should b,
thoroughly ventilated by THROWN,
open all windows and doors for a few
minutes. Before doing this, the patien
should be covered with one or tw,
sxtra blankets and light covering
thrown over the face. Do not re
move this extra covering at once whe
you close the window, but remove j
gradually as the air in the room re
gains its normal warmth.
1t is better not to keep any plant
,r flowers in the room, but if the De
tient desires a few during the da
they may always be removed at nigh
Keep all medicine. bottles, empt
glasses, ETC., out of sight and if pc.
,ible out of the room.
All excreta, soiled linen and dres.