Nursing Interventions for Nausea and Vomiting
April 28, 2010 | In: Nursing Interventions
- Position the patient: To prevent aspiration
- Conscious: semi fowler’s
- Unconscious: lateral
- Provide good oral care measures
- Suction mouth as needed if the client is unable to expel vomitus.
- Relieve sensation of nausea by providing any of the following:
- Ice chips
- Hot tea with lemon
- Hot ginger ale
- Dry toast or crackers
- Cold cola beverage
- Replace fluid-electrolyte loss (oral or intravenous fluid infusion)
- Observe for potential complications as follows:
- Dehydration
- Thirst (first sign)
- Dry mouth and mucus membrane
- Warm, flushed dry skin
- Fever, tachycardia, low BP
- Weight loss
- Sunken eyeballs
- Oliguria
- Dark, concentrated urine
- High specific gravity of urine
- Poor skin turgor
- Altered LOC (level of consciousness)
- Elevated BUN, serum creatinine
- Elevated hematocrit
- Acid-base balance
- Initially, metabolic alkalosis due to excessive loss of gastric acids
- If vomiting is incessant/prolonged, metabolic acidosis occurs due to excessive loss of bicarbonate from duodenum.
- Hypokalemia
- Initial manifestation in muscle weakness in the legs or leg cramps
- Provide postssium-rich foods such as banana, raw tomato, raw carrot, baked potatoes, citrus fruits and dried fruits.
- Dehydration
- Administer antiemetic as ordered by the physician
- Plasil (Metochlopramide)
- Tigan (Trimethobenzamide)
- Phenergan (Promethazine)
- Compazine (Prochlorperazine maleate)
More Nursing Interventions coming up.