Recovering from an illness or a hospital stay can be scary, especially if the health issues involved were serious. The good news is that it’s entirely possible for people to recover at home from injuries, surgeries, and illnesses with the help of skilled nursing care. This type of care involves a nurse coming to the patient’s home in order to take care of a variety of tasks related to recovering. Here are some of the ways that a nurse can make recovery a lot faster and easier.
Help with Wound Care
People who are recovering from injuries or who are dealing with wounds may need extra help at home. Nurses can help with cleaning wounds and changing the dressing as well as monitoring wounds for signs of infection or other problems. Skilled nursing care providers are also able to educate patients and family members about how to care for wounds properly and what to watch for in terms of complications.
Medication Management Assistance
Medications are challenging, especially if someone is ill or recovering from an injury. If medications aren’t taken properly, they can lead to bigger problems. Luckily, skilled nursing care professionals are well-equipped to handle scheduling medication according to a patient’s care plan. They also watch for side effects and other possible complications due to medications.
Nutrition and Hydration Assistance
Anyone who is healing needs the proper nutrition and hydration to fuel their body and keep healing on track. That is especially true for older adults who might be dealing with chronic health issues as well as an injury or illness. Nurses are able to support patients as they get the right nutrients every day. If there are problems related to eating or drinking, nurses are able to line up the right assistance moving forward, too. Healing is complicated, but eating healthy meals doesn’t have to be.
Monitoring Vital Signs
Chronic health issues like diabetes or high blood pressure need consistent monitoring to ensure that all is well. When someone is sick, they may not be able to keep up with what they need to be testing. Other vital signs that might need monitoring as someone heals can include body temperature, pulse rate, and oxygen levels.
Monitoring Overall Well-being
It’s really important for someone who is recovering to monitor their overall well-being. If something just feels off or wrong, there might or might not be more to it. Having skilled nursing care there can eliminate a lot of concerns about what is normal and what isn’t. And if someone does need additional help, nurses can notify their patient’s primary care physician to determine next steps.
Skilled nursing care at home offers multitudes of ways to ensure that patients recovering at home are able to do so without worrying. Knowing that experienced nurses are there is a huge relief for family members, too, who can focus on helping boost their family member’s spirits and offering companionship. Ultimately, the goal is to keep patients from having to return to the hospital if at all possible. Experienced nurses are able to help hit that goal.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Skilled Nursing Care in Jacksonville, FL, please contact the caring staff at Companion & Compassion today. 904-502-9052
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