Lenore Mcdonell Discussion

Hands should be washed with soap and water by Sam and Dr. Lewis. To avoid pathogen transmission to the patient, it is important to use soap containing antimicrobial agents in this situation. Hand hygiene reduces the spread of microorganisms that are acquired by contact with bodily fluids and other everyday activities. They can also wear clean gloves. Since the patient’s skin is torn, blood and other bodily fluids are likely to come into contact with him. Finally, to prevent splashes and sprays of body fluids, they should wear goggles, protective eyewear, and gowns. Surgical masks should be used instead of cotton or gauze masks. This is because surgical masks are more resistant to fluids hence they offer better protection.

Question 2

Firstly, they should identify the blood vessels connected to those passing through the wound, then apply pressure to those blood vessels. They should press the blood vessels on the inside of the arm against the bone to inhibit the flow of blood to the cut. Cutting the supply of blood to the cut would assist to reduce bleeding. Secondly, they should help the patient to lie down, then elevate the lacerated arm above the heart. This will significantly reduce the supply of blood to the wound and reduce bleeding. However, they should ensure they do not perform this procedure where they suspect broken bones within the cut. Elevating the arm should be done carefully to avoid injuring the patient further. Where the fracture is intense, the team should avoid this procedure.

Question 3

The healthcare team can use hemostatic gauzes instead of a tourniquet. Hemostatic gauzes use a combination of different mechanisms like adhesion to the tissues, concentration of coagulation factors and delivery of procoagulant factors to the cut. Some of the hemostatic materials include Combat Gauze and Celox Gauze. Hemostatic gauzes are applicable where other approaches are inappropriate or fail to control bleeding. They are highly efficient especially in adverse conditions like in battlefields. Unlike tourniquet, hemostatics are an effective hemorrhage control in junctional zones like the neck, abdomen, and armpit where tourniquets cannot be used. Moreover, hemostatic gauzes are easy to apply and remove. Due to the excessive bleeding, hemostatic gauzes would help in combating the hemorrhaging.

Question 4

The medical assistant should use protective garments. In order to protect the team from exposure to the x-rays, the healthcare professionals should wear lead aprons. Although the level of each individual exposure is negligible, the radiology technicians are frequently exposed to the radiation hence the need for proper protection. The lead aprons would prevent the health care team from exposure to any harmful radiation.

Question 5

The healthcare professionals check for numbness and tingling in the hand. Too much pressure from the equipment would cause numbness and tingling of the hand. They also look for excessive swelling below the laceration. Where the equipment is too tightly applied, it would slow the blood circulation and cause the area to swell. Lastly, the health care team can check the movement of the fingers. The loss of active movement of the fingers signifies too much pressure on the arm hence the need to loosen the equipment.

Question 6

The team members should wash and dry their hands after the procedure. They should also avoid any contact between the used personal protective equipment with clothing and people outside the room. The equipment should be disposed using the appropriate disposal bags and according to the policies of the hospital. Handle all the patient care equipment which are soiled with body fluids and blood with care in order to prevent exposure to the skin, clothing and also the environment. All the reusable equipment should be cleaned thoroughly and reprocessed for use on other patients. Extra care should be taken when cleaning the sharp reusable objects. All the disposable materials like needles and scalpels should be placed in puncture-resistance containers. Lastly, all spills must be cleaned to avoid infecting other patients.

Question 7

The documentation entails all the details of a patient. It includes the particulars of the patient like name, gender, age, family history, allergies among other relevant personal details. Information regarding investigation and diagnosis will be outlined. The healthcare team will document the initial encounters while the patient was receiving the treatment. They will indicate the type of the fracture whether it was open or closed. The location of the fracture will be stated to indicate the specific bone involved and where on the bone. The type of treatment used should be clearly indicated including all the procedures carried and the medication used. The professionals would state the outcome of every interaction with the patient. Next, the team would record the encounter after the patient has undergone treatment and is receiving care. Here, information regarding any aftercare would be stated. Lastly, they would include details on complications that arise due to the injury. In the case the patient develops any complications after discharge from the hospital, the health care team should include information on the cause of the injury.