Eight Situations Where Your Dad Needs Skilled Nursing Care
Skilled nursing care is a service where a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse comes to your dad’s home to provide care. It keeps him from having to leave his home to go to a medical clinic or stay in a hospital where the sounds and smells can make it hard for him to get the rest he needs.
Medications Must be Administered
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When your dad has medications that must be administered through an injection, you don’t have the training needed. It might be insulin injections that he cannot give himself or an antipsychotic to treat mental illness. A skilled nurse can administer those injections after coordinating with his doctor.
Wound Care Is Necessary
Your dad had an inflamed cyst removed. He has a list of instructions to follow to prevent an infection, but it’s too much for him. Skilled nursing care includes services like wound care. Nurses will clean and dress the healing wound, look for signs of infection, and update his doctor as needed.
He Requires a Catheter
If your dad has a catheter, it needs to be taken care of to prevent infection. A skilled nurse has the training needed for indwelling catheter management. He can have the catheter removed or changed, and the nurse knows what to look for when it comes to the early signs of infection.
Pain Management Is Needed
Chronic pain must be managed appropriately. Your dad needs to be comfortable, but there also needs to be an eye on safety to prevent an overdose. Plus, effective pain management may require IV medications or injections, and a skilled nurse can administer those options following the doctor’s recommended schedule.
He Underwent Surgery
Post-surgical care is important. Not only is there often a surgical incision to keep clean, dry, and sterile, but pain management is important, too. If your dad’s in pain, his recovery won’t be easy. Skilled nurses can change bandages, look for signs of infection, and help with pain medications.
His Doctor Orders Routine Health Assessments
After a heart attack, your dad’s cardiologist wants his blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen saturation levels checked regularly and recorded in his medical records. A skilled nurse can take these measurements and report to the medical team to make sure the current numbers are recorded.
If your dad’s doctor wants other health assessments, such as complete blood counts, a nurse can draw the vial of blood needed for the lab. Nurses can also monitor your dad’s weight and report concerns.
He Needs Frequent IV Infusions and Treatments
Suppose your dad has cancer and needs fluids to prevent dehydration and malnutrition. A nurse can handle those IV infusions. Nurses can also help with home dialysis and IV treatments to boost his iron levels, potassium levels, etc.
Family Caregivers Can’t Handle Disease Management Routines
Your dad was diagnosed with diabetes. Not only is he having to learn how to take care of himself, but you help him out each day, so it benefits you to know what to cook for his meals and what snacks are appropriate. You also need to know how often he should check his sugar levels, what to do if they’re too high, and when to alert his doctor.
Skilled care services can help with disease management. Your dad has an RN or LPN who can teach him all he needs to know, and you can sit in and learn at the same time. All it takes is a call to a skilled nursing care agency to get started.