Nursing Interventions: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

1. Provide emotional and psychological support to the patient and his family.
2. Implement a rehabilitation program to help the patient maintain his independence as long as possible.
3. Have the patient perform active exercises and range-of-motion exercises on un affected muscles to help strengthen them.
4. Depending on the patient’s muscular capacity, assist with bathing, personal hygiene, and transfers from wheelchair to bed.
5. Help establish a regular bowel and bladder elimination routine.
6. Provide good skin care when the patient’s mobility decreases.
7. Reposition the patient often. Keep his skin clean and dry, and use pressure reducing devices such as an alternating air mattress.
8. Help the patient obtain equipment, such as a walker or wheelchair, when necessary.
9. If the patient can’t talk, provide an alternate means of communication such as message boards, or computers.
10. Administer ordered medications as necessary to relieve patient’s symptoms.
11. Have the patient who has breathing difficulty perform deep breathing anc coughing exercises.
12. If the patient has trouble swallowing, give him soft, semisolid foods and position him upright during meals.
13. Inspect the patient’s skin regularly for evidence of breakdown.