health and safety needs

Task Description:
Assessment item 2 requires the student to write a 1500 word essay on the nursing care required to manage the health and safety needs of the clients, visitors, and staff encountered in a clinical scenario.

Scenario
You are allocated to care for a group of 5 residents in an aged care facility. One of your clients, Mabel Hetherington (91 yrs), confides in you that she has been incontinent of faeces and has increasing abdominal discomfort. Reading her care plan you find that she is usually continent. When you speak to the Nurse in Charge of the aged care facility she says that another resident has just complained of stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

Essay task – What you need to do

Discuss the nursing care required in the above scenario.
Your discussion should be based on evidence and utilise a reflective decision making approach to nursing care.

Your essay discussion should include the following:
1) Evidence from research to support your clinical decisions and care implementation.
2) Describe how this type of infection can be spread within healthcare facilities and outline the possible risks to residents and / or nurses.
3) Identify best practice for preventing the spread of this infection.
4) Discuss hygiene maintenance and manual handling risks for both clients and staff.
5) Outline nutritional management including monitoring and maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance for Mrs Hetherington during your shift.
For information only:
This assessment item addresses the learning outcomes as outlined in you course objectives as below:

1. Use a reflective decision making approach to the provision of care for the activities of daily living for Mrs Hetherington.
2. Understand and apply principles and strategies that constitute safe nursing care which optimises health outcomes and minimises risks to individuals and groups.
3. Recognise and respect socio-cultural diversity, where this is based on factors such as ethnicity, material resources, geography, religious beliefs, gender and age, and in a way that is responsive to the needs and rights of individuals and groups.
4. Implement strategies to ensure a safe environment.
5. Critically reflect on nursing practices and their application in various health care contexts