Nicole M.

Mella BSN 4C

January 24, 2012

Deep Breathing Exercises

Purpose Breathing exercises can greatly help in recovering from surgeries. The practice of deep breathing is known by different names like diaphragmatic breathing, belly breathing, abdominal breathing and coastal breathing. Deep breathing exercises are about the most natural and holistic self-care strategy you can find and the single most effective, beneficial technique we can use to relieve pain, stress and anxiety, achieve overall relaxation and help restore balance to the autonomic nervous system. It's also non-toxic, costs us absolutely nothing, requires no prescriptions, equipment, visits to the doctor or health food store and is available to you at all times. It produces soothing, relaxing and pleasure inducing alpha brainwaves, calms the excitatory neurotransmitters and stress response system and thus relieves anxiety and stress instantly. These alpha brain waves also stimulate the release of beta-endorphins, the bodies built in natural pain reliever, and stimulate creativity as well. Most of us never stop and think about what an amazing thing our breath is. It is something we take for granted. It's so simple and intrinsic to living that we never give it a second thought and most of us are unaware that we don't know how to breathe properly or that the breath can be used as a tool for improving our health. When you don't breathe properly, your body does not receive adequate amounts of oxygen. This depletes your energy, allows toxins to accumulate, weakens your immune system, clouds your head, triggers excitatory neurotransmitters and disconnects you from your spirituality. Procedure 1. One should sit with an upright posture in a cross-legged position to perform deep breathing. Slouching can affect the breathing process. 2. One of the hands should be put on the stomach, while other on the chest. 3. Inhalation should be performed slowly. As the air is inhaled, one should feel the expanding stomach with the hand.

4. Exhalation, just like inhalation should be performed slowly. Exhaling through pursed lips and thereby regulating/controlling the air flow is recommended.

Wound Dressing
Purpose Remove accumulated secretions and dead tissue from wound or incision site. Decrease microorganism growth on wound or incision site. Promote wound healing. Classification of Dressing Dry dressing: a dry dressing may be chosen for management of a wound with little drainage. The dressing protects the wound from injury, prevent introduction of bacteria, reduce discomfort and speeds healings. Dry dressing are most commonly use for abrasions and non drainage post operative incision. The dry dressing does not debride the wound and should not be selected for wounds that requiring debridement. Wet to dry dressing: the primary purpose if wet to dry dressing is to mechanically debride a wound. The moistened contact layer of the dressing increases, the absorptive ability of the dressing to collect exudates and wound debris. One must take care not to apply a dressing so wet that it remains wet continuously. Too wet dressing may cause tissue maceration and bacterial growth.

Equipments Sterile dressing tray (forceps, scissors, gauze pads) Sterile gauze dressing pads (2x2 inch, 4x4 inch or surgical pads, depending on drainage and size of area to be covered), or transparent dressing Sterile bowl 2-inch tape or Montgomery straps (paper tape, if allergic to other) Sterile gloves (for sterile dressing change) Nonsterile gloves Towel or linen sever-pads Cotton balls and cotton tips swabs Sterile irrigation saline or sterile water Cleansing solution as ordered or Bacteriostatic ointment as ordered Over bed table or bedside stand Trash bag

Procedure 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Wash hands and organize equipment Explain procedures and assistance needed to client Assess clients pain level and wait for medication to take effect before beginning Place bedside table close to area being Prepare supplies: Place supplies on bedside table Tape trash bag to side of table Open sterile gloves and use inside of gloves package as sterile field

8. Open gauze pad packages and drops several onto sterile field; leave some pads in open packages if in plastic container Open dressing tray and bowl. 9. Open liquid and pour saline on two gauze pads and pour ordered cleaning solution on four gauze pads 10. Place several sterile cotton tip swabs and cotton balls on sterile field 11. Don non sterile gloves 12. Place towel or pad under wound area 13. Loosen tape by pulling toward the wound and removed soiled dressing (soak dressing with saline if it adheres to wound, then gently pull free), permit observation of site and expose site of cleaning. 14. Place dressing in paper bag. 15. Discard gloves and wash hands. 16. Don sterile gloves and mask 17. Pick-up saline soaked dressing pad with forceps and forms a large swab. 18. Cleans away debris and drainage from wound, moving from center outward and using a new Pad for each area cleaned. Discard old pads away from sterile supplies. 19. Prevent contamination of wound from organism on skin surface. 20. Maintain sterility of supplies. 21. Wipe wound with pads soaked with ordered cleansing solution, moving from center of wound outward, discard forceps. Reduce microorganism transfer. Avoids cross contamination. 22. Assess need for frequent dressing change and effect of tape on skin. Prevent infection due to soiled dressing Prevent skin injury. 23. Dress wound or incisions in the following manner: 24. Pick up dressing pad by edge (solution soaked or saline soaked, if wet to dry dressing). 25. Place pad over the wound or incision site until site is totally covered. 26. Cover with surgical pads (if wet to dry) 27. Secure dressing with tape along edges or use Montgomery straps. 28. Prevent contamination of dressing or wound. Allows air to reach wound Indicate last dressing change and need for next change. 29. Write the date and time of dressing change on a stripe of tape and places the tape across dressing. Decrease spread of microorganism 30. Dispose of gloves and materials and store supplies appropriately. Maintain organized environment. 31. Position of client for comfort with call bell within reach. Facilitate comfort and communication 32. Wash hands 33. Decrease spread of microorganisms. 34. Allows handling of clean dressing without sterile instrument. Documentation The following should be noted in the clients chart: Location and type of wound or incision Status of previous dressing Status of the wound / incision site Solutions and medications applied to wound Client teaching done Clients tolerance of procedure How to Breathe Properly