Many patients are admitted to hospitals every year, but how they are assessed upon arrival is very important. This can establish the care that they will receive while in the hospital. Once admitted, patients need continuous assessments to maintain this care and their well-being. Proper assessment can not only prevent complications, but assessments can also direct doctors and nurses to making better choices for that patients care. A proper health assessment can be beneficial to any patient but especially to an elder patient because geriatric patients have multiple diagnoses, weakened immune systems, and are more susceptible to infections.
About 20% of the population in Europe with functional limitations over the age of 65 receive some form of …show more content…
These numbers will surge as the elderly population begins to increase. Nursing homes and other long term care facilities will begin to flood with patients. These patients are going to need specialized care to meet their needs. This is where proper training of new incoming nurses will take place. The nurses that will be caring for these patients will need thorough training, especially in assessing patients. A good nurse will be able to quickly and efficiently assess a patients, so they can keep the doctor posted on the status of the patient’s well-being. This is so important because elderly patients generally have multiple diseases. This is due to as we age systems begin to slow or not function properly and this causes a chain reaction. The body is comprised of many different systems that all work together. If one system begins to fail it will affect another system and then another. For example: a patient’s diet …show more content…
The same with our immune system as well as other systems. Geriatric patients have weakened immune systems due to their body becoming weaker as they age. A patient that has become frail and is not able to get up and walk or exert as much energy as they used can become susceptible to pneumonia. The patient can start with an upper respiratory infection, and as the infection worsens the patient can develop pneumonia; this pneumonia could have prevented if the patient was stronger and could breathe deeper and ambulate out of bed. An older patient that has fallen and broken a hip is going to need lots of care. The patient will not be able to move properly and this can result in developing pressure ulcers, which if left untreated can become infected and leave the patient septic. If the nurse is assessing these patients properly, however, can see the pressure ulcer is developing and can get the patient on an antibiotic before it worsens. Nurses will need to take pride in their work and realize that they are the front runner and advocate for the patient. The nurse’s responsibility is the patient and that is why it is important to monitor and assess these patients properly. Nurses are having more responsibilities and this is becoming difficult as the geriatric patient population grows. There is a shortage of nurses and this means that the ratio is more patients to nurses. This can lead to many problems including medication errors, neglect, and
About 20% of the population in Europe with functional limitations over the age of 65 receive some form of …show more content…
These numbers will surge as the elderly population begins to increase. Nursing homes and other long term care facilities will begin to flood with patients. These patients are going to need specialized care to meet their needs. This is where proper training of new incoming nurses will take place. The nurses that will be caring for these patients will need thorough training, especially in assessing patients. A good nurse will be able to quickly and efficiently assess a patients, so they can keep the doctor posted on the status of the patient’s well-being. This is so important because elderly patients generally have multiple diseases. This is due to as we age systems begin to slow or not function properly and this causes a chain reaction. The body is comprised of many different systems that all work together. If one system begins to fail it will affect another system and then another. For example: a patient’s diet …show more content…
The same with our immune system as well as other systems. Geriatric patients have weakened immune systems due to their body becoming weaker as they age. A patient that has become frail and is not able to get up and walk or exert as much energy as they used can become susceptible to pneumonia. The patient can start with an upper respiratory infection, and as the infection worsens the patient can develop pneumonia; this pneumonia could have prevented if the patient was stronger and could breathe deeper and ambulate out of bed. An older patient that has fallen and broken a hip is going to need lots of care. The patient will not be able to move properly and this can result in developing pressure ulcers, which if left untreated can become infected and leave the patient septic. If the nurse is assessing these patients properly, however, can see the pressure ulcer is developing and can get the patient on an antibiotic before it worsens. Nurses will need to take pride in their work and realize that they are the front runner and advocate for the patient. The nurse’s responsibility is the patient and that is why it is important to monitor and assess these patients properly. Nurses are having more responsibilities and this is becoming difficult as the geriatric patient population grows. There is a shortage of nurses and this means that the ratio is more patients to nurses. This can lead to many problems including medication errors, neglect, and