The
human body has a remarkable ability to compensate for
illness. It is this remarkable compensation that hides
complications in their early stages. However, it is
possible to assess for signs and symptoms of the compensatory
mechanisms to detect complications in their early stages.
The
above diagram illustrates the concept of identifying
complications early on by looking for signs of compensation.
When the signs of decompensation occur, the complication
has already occurred and we are reacting to the problem,
not being proactive.
Look
at an example: Mr. Jones is a 58 year-old admitted to
your floor for an acute coronary syndrome. While his
medication is being adjusted, he develops subjective
dyspnea and his respiratory rate increases from 16 to
24. These changes are subtle and easy to ignore or rationalize
as being from anxiety. However, they could be compensatory
mechanisms to increase oxygenation secondary to the
development of early pulmonary edema. Late signs would
be hypoxia, rales on auscultation, and evidence on the
chest x-ray.
Signs
of compensation can be caused by the inflammatory process,
ischemia, hypoxia, or decreased cardiac output. To be
able to recognize signs of compensation, you must know
what to look for.
That
is why the "Nurses' Complication Finder" was
developed. To help you understand what "Red Flags"
to look for and when. The system contains two parts:
-
The
Pocket Reference:
30 handy reference cards to help you identify the
three major complications and the associated "Red
Flags" for your patient.
-
The Customizable Assessment Sheet:
Used in conjunction with the pocket reference to customize
your assessment to focus on early identification of
complications.
The
"Nurses' Complication Finder" system comes with:
-
60-minute audio CD
-
Comprehensive
workbook
If
you're serious about finding and avoiding complications
in your patients, this system is a "must have."
|
|
Audio
CD, Pocket Reference, Assessment Sheets and Workbook
$27
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You'll
"get it", I guarantee it! -
