PRESENTED BY: MS. KAVITA PAL

M.SC.(N) FIRST YR.

PRACTICE TEACHINGON

MINOR AILMENTS

MINOR AILMENTS Acute condition and problems are noted the

nurse or any other health worker should always. common minor ailments are fever, cough, sore throat, inflamed eyes or eyes with discharge , earache and discharge from the ears, convulsion and fits, diarrhoea, constipation , skin rashes, wounds , burns , animal bite, snake bite, scabies , fracture, heat stroke ,anaemia,oedema , bleeding nose , shock etc….

 

DEFINITION

Minor ailments are generally defined as conditions that will resolve on their own and can be reasonably self diagnosed .minor ailments include common conditions such as fever, cough, sore throat, inflamed eyes or eyes with discharge , earache and discharge from the ears, convulsion and fits, diarrhoea, constipation , skin rashes, wounds , burns , animal bite, snake bite, scabies , fracture, heat stroke ,anaemia,oedema , bleeding nose , shock etc…

COLLECT DATA GENERAL HEALTH HISTORY

  Specific history regarding the onset duration, problems, associated symptoms, past history of illness and family history of any illness.

Record vital signs and urine examination. Identify the problems and give care

according to problems. Implement nursing care.

Reassure the individual / family and refer to primary health center or hospital.

Evaluate the progress. Notify if any communication disease. Ascertain what has been done.

VARIOUS MINOR ALIMENTS THAT ARE FEVER ~

Check the vital signs. Observe the sign and symptoms such as

headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, running nose, cold cough.

Advice bed rest and light diet. Take blood smear for malaria.

Advice plenty of oral fluide e.g., fruit juice, rice water.

If patient having hyperthermia give cold sponge.

If any rashes – note the type and distribution of the rash. Isolate the patient inform medical officer, primary health center.

COUGH

Find out the duration whooping cough, colure and amount of sputum , whether there is fever ,sore throat , pain in chest , dysnea , vomiting , lose of weight.

Give aspirin tabs, fluids and balance diet.

Give steam inhalations if there is cough and cold.

Advice for rest. If tuberculosis is suspected, refer to

hospital.

SORE THROAT

Record the vital signs.. Inspect sore throat for evidence of

redness and white patches if the white patches and other signs of diphtheria is seen refer to hospital

Send a throat swab to laboratory. If pharyngities is present give saline

gargle. Give aspirin. If there is history of recurrent tonsillitis

refer to hospital for treatment. Advice syrup of honey with hot water.

INFLAMMED EYES OR EYES WITH DISCHARGE

  Wash eyes with water and clean with cotton swab.

Cover with sterile eye pad and bandage Refer the patient to hospital when any wound

that cuts or ruptures the eye ball If any history of tonsillitis refer to hospital for

treatment.

EARACHE AND DISCHARGE FROM THE EARS

Clean the ears. Apply ear drops prescribe by the doctor. Give paracetamol tab for 3 days and refer

to health centre.

Ear discharges with external ear soreness clean with boric acid lotion apply ear drops.

If isolated with other problems like nose and throat infection or impaired hearing refer to primary center.

 

CONVULSION AND FITS Make the patient lie down with head

twined to one side. Place small and clean cloth between his

teeth to prevent from biting the tongue. Do not restrain him / her during a fit. Well ventilated rooms provided and loosen

clothes

Well ventilated rooms provided and loosen clothes.

After he recovers from the fit given him hot tea with plenty of sugar.

Protect him from any danger like fire, sharp stones.

Obtain the history and refer him to a hospital.

DIARRHOEA Observe the sign of dehydration, e.g., dry

mouth, sunken eyes, loss of elasticity of the skin.

If available and 1/2 cup of orange juice or little lemon juice. Children need atleast 1 liter a day and adult 3.5 liters.

Severe dehydration refers to health centre or hospital.

Teach disinfection and proper disposal of stools. Advice a diet of rice water, coconut water,

mashed banana and grated apple. Teach mothers to use disappears for the children

to prevent further spread of the disease.

Protect the food from fly contamination. Advice the importance of drinking

chlorinated water or drinking boiled and cooled water.

Use fly control measures. Informed the PHC regarding the diarrhoeal

situation.

CONSTIPATION  Advice plenty fluids, frits, green leafy

vegetables and foods with natural fibers. In order to have regular bowel movements, order people need to walk and exercise.

Advice mild laxatives to patients suffering from constipation.

 

SKIN RASHES Check the vital signs. Examine for the type, distribution and find

out the duration. Ascertain possible contact with

communicable disease, e.g., measles.

Isolate the client / patient. Referred to primary centre / hospital. If patient having fever give tab. Aspirin 10

gm for adults and 5 gm for children.

 WOUNDS  

Wash the wound with soap of water. Apply ointment which prescribed by doctor. Avoid contact with dirt and lung. Refer to primary health center for T.T. injection. If external bleeding their apply sterile dressing,

elevate the part and apply pressure.

BURNS Remove non – adherent clothing, clothing

away from the wound. Remove rings, bangles, shoes, belt before

the part beings to well. Assess the burn areas.

Reassure the patient. Treat for shock. Transfer the person to hospital. If medical aid is delayed start oral

rehydration fluid.

ANIMAL BITE Wash the wound with soap and water for

animal bites. Observe sign and symptoms of rabies. If the animal is without symptoms, watch

the animal for 10 days.

If he / she shows symptoms of rabies shift to hospital for antirabies treatment.

Flush the wound with saline or water. Apply ice to the wound to delay absorption

of venom. Shift him to hospital. If non – poisonous clean the wound with

saline and water apply tincture and then refer to the hospital.

 

SNAKE BITE  If poisonous – apply tourniquet or cloth to

impede venous blood flow from the site of bite toward the heart.

Small cut in to each fang mark with a clean knife about 1 cm long and ½ cm deep.

Suck the poisonous through suction machine and breast pump.

Wash the wound with saline or water. Apply ice to the wound to delay

absorption. Person lie quietly do not move the part that

has been bitten. Shift him to hospital.

SCABIES If one person has scabies everyone in the

family should be examined and treated. Isolate the patient. Tell patient take bath, scrub well with soap

and water.

After that dry the skin and apply calamine lotion before going to bed.

Continue for 3 to 5 days and give bath. Advice to wash the clothes and boil them and

dry them under the sun. Schoolmates, playmates, family members

should be examined and treated. Tell the patient this treatment is incomplete

unless one more course of treatment for 3 days is done after a period of two weeks if not done so that the scabies will occur again even in the absence of reinfection from others.

FRACTURE  First immobilize the part with foot boards.

Give support the injured part by bandages and slings.

Shift the patient to hospital. If any major fracture suspected

immediately shift to the hospital.

ANAEMIA Advice the person to eat green leafy vegetables

like spinach’s, amaranth, beans, peas, jaggery, egg and liver.

Advice oral iron and vitamins. Advice dried fruits, raisindry, dates.

Stool examined for hookworms. HB test. Bedding piles, menstrual disorders with

excessive bleeding and other bleeding condition have to be referred to primary health centre, hospital immediately.

OEDEMA Advise low salt diet. Daily records. Intake output maintained. Find out the cause and refers to primary health

centre. Examine the urine for albumin.  

BLEEDING NOSE   Make patient set up with head erect and bent forward.

Loosen all clothes at neck. Tell patient to pinch nose at the junction of hard and

soft part. Apply a cold compress. Do not let him blow the nose. Transfer patient to hospital.

 

SHOCK In this case foot of the bed raised about 22

cm. Give first aid for bleeding fractures, bites. Keep him warm and reassure the patient. If patient conscious give strong hot tea

with plenty of sugar provided he is not expected to undergo an anesthesia.

GENERAL NURSING CARE DURING MINOR ALIMENTS

  COLLECT DATA

General health history, specific history regarding the onset, duration, symptoms, past history of illness, family history of any illness.

Records of vital signs and urine examination. Identify the problems and needs of the

individual.

Implement nursing care. Reassure the individual / family and

refer to primary health centre. Explain the disease causation,

preventive measures, complication , refer to hospital

Evaluate the progress. Notify if any communicable disease

refer the hospital.