Nursing Care for Gastrointestinal Bleeding Singapore
Overview
Gastrointestinal or GI bleeding is a condition in which there is bleeding along the gastrointestinal organs and lining. This can be divided to upper GI and lower GI bleeding which have various symptoms sign associated with it. This can be an acute or chronic condition affecting patients. There are several related causes for it. The blood can appear either in the stool or vomitus. And the severity depends on the amount of bleeding.
Symptoms and Causes
Several clinical signs and symptoms are associated with GI bleeding. For the upper GI bleeding, the stool is usually darker in color. The vomitus can also be very dark in color. For the lower GI bleeding, the blood in the stool is more fresh and light red in color. There is also pain, skin paleness, body malaise due to lower circulating blood volume. There is also shortness of breath due to lack of haemoglobin.Causes of GI bleeding can be due to a lot of medical diagnosis such as stomach ulcer, gastroenteritis, haemorrhoids, colorectal polyps, diverticulitis, gastritis, Crohn’s disease, and a lot more. Thus it is very important for the doctor to have a critical assessment among patients. Several drugs can also cause GI bleeding like aspirin.
Nursing Care Plan for Patients with GI Bleeding
For patients vomiting or having stools with blood, it is quite an alarming fact that they should go to emergency room as soon as possible. Assessment and review of history and drug use shall be done. Once with orders, the nurse jobs include keeping the patient fluid hydrated due to blood loss so IV access is of prime importance especially if there is too much volume of blood loss. Then student nurse can also help assist the patient undergo several diagnostic test such as CBC, stool and urine exam, endoscopy and colonoscopy to determine the root cause of the problem. Diet is also an important part of the practice plan. The nurse must instruct the patient to avoid bright red foods such as red wine, chocolates, and coffee. Once the cause is determined, treatment will follow. Several drugs can be given to stop the bleeding, heal the stomach or bowel and until the patient can regain normal values for CBC. Sometimes, blood transfusion is ordered especially if the case is severe. Lastly, surgical tract treatment is another option especially if there is already a perforation. Thus, the nurse must prepare the patient mental ly for it. Health education is also a guide among patients before they go home for discharge.Conclusion
GI bleed ing can turn into a life-threatening end condition if not treated immediately. Thus, the search for its cause is important. Several new med study articles, plans, news and topics about GI bleeding are available in the internet for reference to share.Log in to NicoleConsultancy.com or contact us ati 62215262 for Nursing Care for Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Singapore now!