Principles of Nursing

Nursing by informal carers;

• informal carers include; parents with children who are ill, or adults looking after elderly or disabled relatives 

The care includes the following actions and skills;

• monitoring health - e.g. taking patient's temperature and watching for signs of improvement or deteriotation 
• supervising treatment - e.g. making sure that medication is taken at the prescribed intervals as some patients are not able to manage their own medication 
• maintaining hygiene - e.g. washing, bathing, and toileting the patient
• managing incontinence - e.g. changing nappies or incontinence pads
• providing nutrition 
• providing social contact, support and stimulation - e.g. for young children who might otherwise become bored and depressed 
• communicating with support services - e.g. getting advice from a health visitor or NHS direct
• preventing pressure sores (bedsores) - e.g. these can form if patients sit or lie in the same position for a long time; older people are especially susceptible 

Hospital nursing;

• a greater range of monitoring equipment will be used - e.g. check blood pressure 
• accurate record keeping is required - particularly in transferring information to other staff when shifts change 
• expertise is required with much greater range of treatment procedures compared…