Allauigan, Gian

Valdecantos, Enkeli
BSN-3C3

Nursing Management per Symptom

Fever
● Assess body temperature - establishes baseline vital signs.
● Administer antipyretics (paracetamol) as prescribed. - Exposing skin to room air decreases warmth and increases evaporative cooling.
● Eliminate excess clothing and covers. - Antipyretic medications lower body temperature by blocking the synthesis of prostaglandins that act in the hypothalamus.
● Adjust and monitor environmental factors; room temperature. - Room temperature may be accustomed to near normal body temperature
● Perform tepid sponge bath - Promotes dispersal of body heat.
● Encourage patient to increase fluid intake - Serves as replenishment for increased insensible fluid losses.

Dry Cough
● Assess airway for patency and auscultate lungs for presence of normal or adventitious breath sounds. - Maintaining a patent airway is always the first priority and abnormal breath sounds can be heard as fluid and
mucus accumulate.
● Administer expectorants (robitussin) as prescribed. - This medication promotes clearance of airway secretions and may reduce airway resistance.
● Administer mucolytics (acetylcysteine) - Mucolytics breakdown mucus by reducing viscosity.
● Provide hydration - Hydration will help replace the fluids and electrolytes you've lost while also loosening mucus.
● Teach the patient the proper ways of coughing and breathing. - As coughing is the most convenient way to remove most secretions, and deep breathing, on the other hand, promotes oxygenation before controlled
coughing.
● If secretions cannot be cleared, consider the need for an intubation. - Intubation may be needed to facilitate removal of tenacious and copious amounts of secretions

Dyspnea
● Assess respiratory status - Alterations in breathing pattern aids in detecting early signs of respiratory compromise.
● Observe breathing patterns - Unusual breathing patterns may imply an underlying disease process or dysfunction.
● Auscultate breath sounds - Detection of adventitious breath sounds.
● Assess for use of accessory muscles - Work of breathing decreases as lungs become compromised.
● Observe for nostril flaring - These signify increase in respiratory effort
● Utilize pulse oximetry to check O2Sat and pulse rate - Detects alterations in oxygenation.
● Place the patient in bed rest - Promotes energy conservation and decreases work of breathing.
● Encourage diaphragmatic breathing - Promotes muscle relaxation while increasing O2 level.
● Administer oxygen therapy as indicated - This enables adequate oxygen levels when decreased oxygen saturation is present.
● Encourage slow and deep breathing - Enables deep inspiration, which increases oxygenation.

Myalgia/Muscle Pain
● Perform a comprehensive assessment of pain. Determine the location, characteristics, onset, duration, frequency, quality, and severity of pain via assessment. - The patient experiencing pain is the most reliable
source of information about their pain.
● Pain should be screened every time vital signs are evaluated. - Many health facilities set pain assessment as the “fifth vital sign” and should be added to routine vital signs assessment.
● Investigate signs and symptoms related to pain.- Bringing attention to associated signs and symptoms may help the nurse in evaluating the pain.
 ● Provide nonopioids include acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen, as ordered. - NSAIDs work in peripheral tissues. Some block the synthesis of
prostaglandins, which stimulate nociceptors. They are effective in managing mild to moderate pain.
● Provide nonpharmacologic pain management (distraction, massage, heat and cold application)

Loss of Taste and Smell

● Assess patient’s perception on the loss of taste and smell - establishes baseline perception regarding the symptom.
● Encourage verbalization of feelings and concerns - Provides emotional support to the patient’s anxiety.
● Encourage adequate nutrition and hydration - These enables the patient to obtain proper nutrition and hydration even though he/she does not have the sense of smell and taste.