Treating Disease

Aims of Treating Disease  Disease treatment can aim to:  Cure the disease permanently  Delay the progress of the disease  Palliate the effects of the disease.  Reduce or remove the symptoms of the disease  Rebuild or repair damage to body tissues and structures  Rebuild or replace damaged or diseased body tissues and organs

When is treatment necessary?  None  In many instances treatment is not necessary at all. Many minor ailments are overcome by the bodies own physiological mechanisms for fighting illness, including the immune system.  Self Treatment  Often self treatment is adequate as people can buy non-prescription medication over the counter, and rest and drink fluids as appropriate.

Nursing  Nursing by informal carers/home nursing  Parents look after their children when they are ill providing basic nursing care, in the same way as adults caring for relatives. Procedures involved may be:  Monitoring Health  Supervising Treatment  Maintaining Hygiene  Managing Incontinence  Providing Nutrition  Providing Social Contact  Communicating with professionals  Preventing Pressure Sores.

Hospital Nursing  This involves the above as well as a higher level of care, using more technology:  A greater range of monitoring equipment  Accurate recording keeping  Expertise is required for a range of treatment procedures and care  Maintaining privacy and confidentiality are important

Nurses are highly skilled and aware of the need to be:  Confident and sensitive  Effective communicators  Empathic  Empowering  Effective team workers

Intensive Care  This is provided in specialised units within hospitals called ICU or ITUs. They are used for critically ill patients. Each patient is monitored continuously of their vital signs. As well as this many patients require a more invasive form of care and assistance with such basic functions as assistance with breathing. Often nurses work on a 1:1 o2 1:2 nurse patient ratio. This is because the patients require a high level of intervention and monitoring.

Activity  In pairs devise 10 questions (and answers) on separate cards provided about nursing and treatment.  Hand these in  Play Incy Wincy Spider Game