Making Good on Private Duty: Practical Hints to Graduate Nurses — John Shaqi
Making Good on Private Duty: Practical Hints to Graduate NursesLounsbery, Harriet Camp
Science
Making Good on Private Duty: Practical Hints to Graduate Nurses
Lounsbery, Harriet Camp
Private duty nursing
When you go for your rest, be sure to leave carefully written
directions for the one who is to take your place, just as you do
when in charge of a hospital ward, you leave your orders written
out when you go for your "off duty." Show her how to keep the
sick-room record, and be sure she understands it all before you
leave.
As for the visitors, they are often difficult to manage, and here
again you must have the family help you. Of course _no_
visitors are allowed until the doctor gives permission. So far all
is easy, but when they are admitted you will do well to make a
little plan with the family. Tell them the patient may be seen at
such an hour. Perhaps between eleven and twelve, perhaps between
two and three, just as you consider her brighter in the morning or
afternoon. Ask them who of the first and dearest friends is the
quietest and most discreet, and then say that if they will kindly
arrange for one visitor only to come each day, it would be so much
better for the convalescent. The friends can always do this and
they never object. They tell Mrs. Jones to come on Monday at two,
and stay just fifteen minutes. On Tuesday Mrs. Smith can come, and
so on, until by the end of the week the arrangement ceases to
cause any comment, and soon, if all goes well, and the convalescence
goes on without interruption, _your_ rules and extreme care
can be relaxed to suit the patient's own fancy.
Always carefully note if any visitor tires your patient, and
manage so as not to let her come again until the sick one has more
strength. It is better, I think, to sit in an adjoining room when
your patient has a visitor. This gives you a chance to come into
the room when the person has stayed long enough, and generally
your entrance tells her very plainly that she ought to go, and she
departs without you saying a word. If she does not, you will have
to tell her that the doctor is very particular about not letting
the patient talk too much, etc., etc., and get her out in that
way. Be careful, when the visitor has gone, not to sit down and
talk at length yourself. Give the patient a little nourishment,
turn over her pillows, and if she seems at all wearied make her
comfortable for a nap and let her sleep.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account