definition of "treatment"

[sbostonRN]

I just got a job as a new grad on a subacute unit in a rehab/nursing center. My patients are all short term rehab type. As an RN (soon-to-be), I'll be responsible for assessments, meds and treatments for approx. 20 patients. What exactly do they mean by "treatments". I'm guessing wound dressings, nebs/breathing treatments and teaching, but not sure what else falls in this category. I'll get a variety of patients, so anything you can prepare me with would be helpful so I can review my fundamentals book before starting work! Thank you :)

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

Treatments are basically wound-care(see below), applying creams, and putting on/taking off things such as arm braces, heel boots, etc

-Wound care can be anything from a tiny skin tear that needs a band-aid to the worlds biggest pressure ulcer. The directions are written(or should be) in the treatment order.

[dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I]

Observation (time) can also be a treatment. Patients are in a hurry to get out of the ER, but sometimes we like to see if the treatment we gave them fixes the problem.

[chelynn]

Things in our treatment books are: Wound care, dressing changes, creams, powders, monitor bruise, skin tear, etc, skin checks, diabetic nail care, podus boots, o2, cath care, cath changes, elevation of extremities, peg tube checks and flushes, remove dressing 4 hours after dialysis, suture removal. I think that about covers it :)

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

In most facilities, the word treatment is used loosely. We put lots of things in the TAR because they need to be documented and there really isn't another place to do it. A few examples:Checking wander guards every shift. We have a lot of FYIs on the treatment sheet such as seat belt in wheelchair, fall mat on both sides of bed...that sort of thing. There is no other place to document these items so the nurse gets stuck doing it.