Patient Care: Disposable Bed Bath Supplies

Disposable Bed Bath

• Supplies needed include washcloths, bath towels, toiletries, disposable wipes, a clean gown, a linen bag, gloves, and a bath-in-a-bag product.
• Important for promoting skin integrity and preventing infections.
• Always assess and control bathwater temperature, particularly for patients with reduced sensation.
• Avoid soaking feet in patients with diabetes or peripheral vascular disease.
• Ensure patients without sensation or cognitive impairment do not bathe independently.

Necessity for Extremity Traction

• Definition: Seven duration practice of slowly pulling on a broken bone to realign it for stabilization.
• Purpose: Prevent pain, reduce muscle spasms, immobilize joints, and treat joint conditions.

Skin Traction

• Typically used short-term (48-72 hours) with 5 to 10 pounds of weights.
• Involves direct application of tape or splints to the skin.
• Ongoing skin assessment is critical to prevent breakdown.

Skeletal Traction

• Involves pin or screw insertion into the bone for long-term traction.
• Used for severe fractures and dislocations, maintaining continuous traction.
• Effective for immobilizing joints and relieving pressure.

Medications for Muscle Spasm

• Carisoprodol (Soma): Relaxant approved for acute musculoskeletal discomfort.
• Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril): Relieves local skeletal muscle spasms without affecting muscle function.
• Methocarbamol (Robaxin): Calms overactive nerves to reduce spasms.

Purpose of Cast

• Temporary solution allowing normal activities of daily living.
• Made from various materials and incorporates joints above/below the fracture.
• Immobilization is initiated by wrapping plaster of Paris around padding, setting in about 15 minutes.

Closed Reduction Techniques

• Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF): Surgical procedure involving incisions and bone repositioning, which risks infection but facilitates early mobility.
• Closed Reduction Internal Fixation (CRIF): Non-surgical manual realignment performed under anesthesia, followed by immobilization.

Complications of Fractures

• Pulmonary Embolism (PE): A blood clot in lung arteries affecting oxygen flow.
• Gas Gangrene (GG): A serious infection of soft tissue caused by Clostridium species.
• Tetanus: A bacterial infection leading to painful muscle spasms from Clostridium tetani.

Complications of Fracture Healing

• Delayed union: Bone healing takes longer than expected.
• Nonunion: Failure of the body to heal the fracture.
• Malunion: Improper healing leading to altered bone alignment.
• Pseudoarthrosis: A condition with non-healing of a broken bone, leading to the formation of a false joint.