Aiding a patient with heart failure

[Naess24]

Hello. I'm a 1st year nursing student who works at a nursing home. I would love to recieve any input you experienced nurses could bring to a patient-related situation.

In my country, it's very difficult to find nurses who are willing to work at a nursing home. There is usually a nurse working "on the top" as an emergency contact for the whole institution, but he/she will not always be available during an emergency, and can't be called in without a reason.

During my shifts, I'm in a team with "associate healthcare-workers" (their strengths lie in... cleaning patients and nutrition) who care for a mentally (and partially physically) capable patient in their 80's who has been diagnosed and treated with heart failure. The patient's respiratory frequence is somewhat high, they have been slightly drowsy and has had some minor bloating around their feet the last 2 days, and I'm trying to have the severity of their heart failure and medication reassessed.

Being a nursing student for 4 months does not (naturally), carry much weight around the institution, and I feel like I'm not being taken seriously.

Therefore, I want to track their situation and want to be prepared for the sake of their family and partner.

- If the patient begins to hyperventilate, what could be done to provide them with oxygen while contacting help?

- Besides pulse/blood pressure/oxygen saturation/resiratory frequence and "sounds" from the lungs, are there any other control measurements for their condition?

I believe they will be forced to take it seriously if provided with evidence.