The nurse is caring for a patient who sustained a head injury and is unresponsive to painful stimuli. Which intervention is most appropriate while bathing the patient?

Question

a. Ask a family member to help you bathe the patient, and discuss the family structure with the family member during the procedure.
b. Because she is unconscious, complete care as quickly and quietly as possible.
c. Tell the patient the day and time, and that you are bathing her. Reassure her that you are there.
d. Turn the television on to the evening news so that you and the patient can be updated to current events.

Answer 1

C
Although unconscious, many patients can hear, understand, and respond to stimuli. Therefore, it is important to converse with the patient and reorient her to the environment. Some, but not all, family members may want to get involved in direct care; it is not known if this individual is a willing participant, and talking about who's who in the family is not appropriate while providing direct care to the patient. Although she is unconscious, communication and simple conversations remain important interventions. Use of the television to provide sensory input that the patient regularly enjoys is a nursing intervention, but turning on the news for the sake of the nurse is not appropriate.