| General Care Tips |
| When possible chose a bright, airy, sunny room for the sick and a room that is remote from the rest of the house so noise will not annoy the patient. Keep the room clean and neat. Sweep and dust with a damped cloth or broom to keep the dust from flying around. In cases of serious illness keep the patent as quiet and keept them from unpleasantness in the household. Prepare and serve food daily. Feed the patient slowly and give liquids using a drinking straw. When the patient is tired, no visitors should be allowed. When visitors do call be sure their visits are breif and one at a time. Don't jar the bed by knocking against it. If the patient wants fanning it should be gentle. Do not dress or undress in the same room as your patient. Make time for yourself, spend at least an hour a day outside and don't do both day and night duty. During fevers give water freely; a sip every few minutes is good but not too much at one time. In cases of nausea sips of very hot water or small pieces of chipped ice swallowed whole can sometimes relive it. To prepare for the seriuosly injured patient have a warm bed with many hot water bottles. In cases of sever shock keep the head low, stimulate freely, and rub the extremities briskly. In cases of fainting, keep the head low, loosen the clothing around the neck, waist, give plenty of fresh air, bathe the face in cold water, and let the person inhale smelling salts or ammonia carefully. Treat heart failure as shock. Give small doeses of red pepper and a tea of scullcap, lily of the valley, or peppermint. Take as much tea is needed. A cold towl rub is excellent also, this is done by bathing a part of the body at a time and drying througly. Immediately soak sprains in very hot water. The soaking releives pain and swelling and afterwards apply liniment. If nose bleeds cannot be checked by pressure on the back of the neck and cold water may be stopped by syringing the nostrils with cold salt water. Raise the arms above the head and apply cold water to nape of neck and end of nose. Extra covering should always be available during the early morning hours. Warm bedpans before using and place one folded towl on the pan under the patient. Be cheerful and patient, eventhe most reasonable and thoughtful people can be demanding and extremely ill tempered when ill. Don't sit and tap with fingers or the foot. Try to time the giving of treatment, mediciations, food, drink, and the like so as not to disturb the patient when settled for a nap. Do not continually ask patients how then feel and if they would like something to be done for them. Try to avoid letting direct rays of sunlight shine into the patients eyes. Avoid unnecessary noises with dishes and papers. Never hurry them with meals, just encourage them to eat. |
| How To Make A Bed Mattresses should be firm and the sheets large enough to permit them to be well tucked under its edges so they stay smooth. If desired you can protect the matress by putting a rubber sheet under the lower sheet. First place a sheet folded lenghtwise over the lower sheet in the middle of the bed (this is the drawsheet). Tuck the ends well under the mattress on each side. To change the lower sheet loosen it at the sides and have the patient roll over to one side of the bed. Fold the soiled sheet up to patient, follow up by the clean sheet and then roll patient onto the clean sheet and do the same to the other side. Be very sure the undersheet is perfectly smooth, this prevents bedsores. Temperature and Ventilation The room temperature should always be around 70 degrees F however in some diseases it may need to be warmer or cooler. The air should always be moist, if there's a hot air furnace or stove in the room keep a dish of water on the radiator or stove. Disinfection Lysol or any other good disinfectant should be used. Disinfection of Clothing In infectious diseases all washalbe clothing, sheets, and everything else should be boiled in a covered boiler for at least a half hour. Then place the boiled objects in a disinfectant solution. Alternatively wash in hot water, with a good ditergent and antibaterial disinfecting solution and kept away from the rest of your washing. Do not use handkerchifs, instead use soft, disposable tissues and burn them or get rid of them immedatly. All sweepings from the room should be burned. Also, boil eatting utensils using a good strong laundry soap. |