The Sidney herald., 1958-02-20
Caring for the
Sick in the Home
Mary Alice Rehbein, r.. N.
Public Health Nurse

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to every family. Whether the ill
ness is brief or long, the patient
will get along better if someone
in the household knows how TO
meet the urgent call for good
nursing care.
At the first signs of flu, a per-
son should 60 to bed at once and
have the best home care. This
means that someone in the family
must look after the patient.
Learning how to give care to a
sick person presents no great
difficulties. The doctor in charge
decides the nature of the care the
patient is to receive, depending
upon the patients type and de-
gree of illness. Any person who
must assume the responsibilities
of caring for the sick in the home
will be wise to learn a few of the
fundamentals.
1t is important that persons
who care for the sick are cheer
full at all times when caring for
the patient. Hands should be
washed with soap and running
water Immediately before and af-
ter handling the patient, his be-
longings, or objects he has used.
The physician is the only one
who can diagnose and prescribe
medicine and treatment for the
patient effectively - never should
the home nurse proceed on the
basis of her own ideas or those
of others in the family or neigh
borhood. 1t is a good idea to write
down the physicians orders, so
that no detail will be forgotten.
If it is possible, the patient
should be placed in a room not
used by another member of the
family, a room that is quiet, near
the bathroom well ventilated. If
possible, a room on the first
floor is most convenient for home
nurse because of the nearness of
the kitchen. If the sick room must
be on the second floor, plan the
trips upstairs carefully and avoid
unnecessary trips.
AS well as a comfortable bed,
a complete set of toilet articles
for the patient should be at hand
- comb, brush, toothbrush, wash
cloth, soap and towels. If the
patient should be very i'll, or
otherwise unable to use the bath
room, a bed pan or chamber
should be furnished. A clinical
thermometer and materials for
disinfecting it may be needed.
For repeated use by the patient,
a thermometer will be s~atisfactor-
lily disinfected if it is wiped,
using a rotary motion, with cotton
dipped in a solution of equal
parts of alcohol and liquid soap
then rinsed in cool water. Paper
tissues should be provided fol
moss and throat discharges of the
patient. These can be disposed O.
by putting them into a paper
sack, pinned to the side of thu
mattress, and burned. The acting
nurse should keep a washable
cover-all apron. A table in the
room covered with oilcloth, plas-
tic material or old newspaper, is
a handy place to keep wash bowl,
pitcher of water, soap and other
articles for the patients daily bath
and personal hygiene during the
day. Next to the bed, a table
should be provided for the things
the patient will need often, and
in many cases could reach him
self. Things like a covered con-
tainer of water and a glass, paper
tissue, or such articles for en-
tertainment as the patient may be
able to enjoy.
If it is possible, the patient
should be in a single bed that
has a firm spring and mattress.
A wider bed makes it difficult to
battle and turn the patient.
Bending over a bed of ordinary
height, to give this kind of care,
is hard for the home nurse, and
will be made much easier if the
bed is raised by placing wooden
blocks under each leg.
1t is very important to keep
the patients bed clean. To change
a sheet under a patient gently
roll the patient over to one side,
then fold the soiled sheet up
close to the body. Next fold the
clean sheet in narrow pleats,
tucking it under the mattress, at
head, along the side and at the
foot, mitering the corners to keep
them smooth. Now gently roll
the patient to the side of the bed
covered by the clean sheet, with
draw the soiled sheet, and pull
the clean one into place and tuck
and smoothly around the
rest of the bed. You can do all
Of this without uncovering the
patient, if covers are needed.
To start the day - the pa
face and hands should
be washed, teeth brushed and
hair combed soon after the pa
tent is fully awake. After an ap-
.etizing breakfast and rest, is a
good time for a sponge bath. The
will govern the diet,
but the nurse can see that the
tray and food are attractive, and
portions not too large. Make a
as routine helps both
patient and nurse. First, write
out the schedule ordered by the
for giving medicines
and any special treatments. On