The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-01-19
HOME NURSING

does the very best that he can e
diagnose the patients trouble, but HI
needs some help from the one VIII
cares for the patient between thu
calls. IL is quite necessary thcr
that the home nurse should keep AZ
accurate chart each day Of certain
conditions. II notes are jottcd dowr
on loose scraps Of paper, there Is
grave danger that they may he ut
altogether. or be so hopelessly mixc'
that the doctor i, unable - tel wh,r
they were taken.
The record sheet for each day
should be dated at the top, then Il
should contain n notation Of tempera
ture, pulse respiration, amount OF
sleep, amount and kind Of food taker
and the amount and kind Of excre'
tons during the day.
Many drug store proprietors carry
the usual record blanks, bedside
notes" which are conveniently mark
ed for the usual entries.
The temperature is taken with the
clinical Thermometer which should be
Stcrilized in alcohol after each using
The clinical thermometer records the
temperature and then holds that
record until il is shaken down: there
fore the mercury must be shaken
down after each use. To settle the
mercury in clinical thermometer
grasp the top Of the Thermometer
firmly between the fingers, give the
hand a quick, jerking swing
The temperature is registered in
from one and half to five minutes,
according 10 the place in which Il is
taken. The usual places for taking
the temperature are; Gundcr the
tongue (thc tongue held down and
the lips closed; )2) under the arm, in
the groin or in some fold Of the body;
and (3) in the rcctum Gin cases Of
small children or dclirious patientsl
In taking the temperature in the
mouth one mist be sure that no
fluids have been taken for at least
fifteen minutes before the th"rmomc
ter is inserted in the mouth
The temperature taken under the
arm (rccorded in from FIVE 10 ten
minutcs) is onc-half degree lower
than that Of the mouth; while
rectal temperature is one half degree
higher than mouth temperature. The
place Of taking the temperature
should be noted when the record IS
placed on tn record blank
The normal temperature is 9s.i +.
9G.5 TO 9s is subnormal; 965 indicates
collapse; 99.5 To 100. slight fever; and
moderate fever is Indicated by 1905
10 1907 in the morning and 1902 10
lo3 in the evening; high fever l02 To
1914 in the morning and l0I 10 l05 in
the evening: l05 10 10 means intense
fever.
II is a good plan TO take the tenn
pcrature at regular times during the
day: eight o'clock in the morning;
four in the afternoon, and again at
eight at night This allows the doc
tor to see the changes during the
entire day. It is very important
that temperature reports should be
accurate. If temperature above
100 continues long death will be the
result. In some diseases. as pneu-
moria, fever ends suddenly and the
nurse should note this, see that the
patient is stimulated with heat or
medicine TO prevent heart failure.
The pulse indicates the rapidity
Of the heart beat, and tells a great
deal IA the doctor or nurse. The in
experienced person can tell only by
the rapidity or slowncss and the
strength or weakness Of the beat,
Individuals vary great deal in
pulse rate, but the normal beat in n
man is 60 to 20 beats per minute; in
woman, from 65 TO so beats; in n
child, from 90 TO 100 beats
The pulse is taken by placing the
finger ends (never the thumb) alon.,
the course Of an artery near tho
body, and counting the beats per
minute. The usual place is on the
inside of the wrist, at the thumb side
of the wrist. It can be taken at eth,
err side Of the throat, on the artery in
front Of the ear, or on the inner side
Of the ankle.
The pulse rate varies with action
and according TO age-the old have
much slower pulse than the young.
A SUDDEN movement Of the patient
will cause a quickening Of the pulse .
Excitement, going up steps, or going
fast on the level will increase the
pulse rate. One should also notice
whether the pulse is regular OF ir-
regular in force and frequency;
whether the artery is compressiblc