MS Patient

[StephyBabyRN2b]

Hey everybody, I wasn't sure where to post this but I thought his was the most appropriate forum. I am a first year nursing student and recently got a job with a woman my aunt has known for years. This woman takes care of her niece who is bedridden with MS. She cannot talk,walk,eats through a catheter,urinates through a catheter......basically completely disabled.Her doctors said that she would have only 2 years to live and that was four years ago. Her aunt has taken really good care of her and even quit her job to care for her niece. I do not want to disapoint her! She has hired me to help out with her niece because she is getting a hysterectomy due to uterine cancer and will not be able to move her etc. My main job basically is moving her every 1 and a half hours to prevent bedsores and to clean her if she has a bowel movement. A hospice nurse comes 3 days a week to bathe her and what not. I have not done anything like this before on my own besides clinicals at school which is at a nursing home with geriatric patients. The woman with MS is only 40. I thought some of you might have some advice or anything that could benefit me while Im working with Kathy(MS pt.) I have met Kathy and her hospice nurses and the nurses all are very nice and have actually taught me a lot. Im just nervous and anxious about starting this job and I really want to do a good job. Have any of you worked with MS patients that are at this stage? Any advice? Any good websites that I can go to to learn more about caring for a MS patient? Thanks!!!

[lillis_sunflower]

A MS patient is no different than anyother. Just make sure your supporting all her boney prominences with the turns. Remember to talk to her and let her know what you are doing to her just because she's trapped in her own head doesn't mean she doesn't need that. If she has spasms, make sure you protect her from herself and you. You know how to change chux or briefs by only rolling a patient twice right? Bouncing is a good way to repo them in bed without pulling them when your doing it alone, it prevents injuries to you and them. If you would like more advice I'd be more than willing to help.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

sample care plan for an ms patient

[caliotter3]

We had a very young MS patient in a long term care facility where I once worked who was there because her husband abandoned her. She was fully cognizant and could speak and suffered from severe depression to the point that she was trying to refuse all care. The nursing staff generally would dismiss her complaints and comments and try to perform nursing care for her without her cooperation. I was a CNA at the time and even then, believed that maybe the woman's rights were being violated. The only thing that I could add to what the other posters have stated, is that I would encourage you to take the time to speak to her and offer her the human companionship that she must be lacking to some extent. A hug wouldn't hurt. Try to speak to her in a soothing voice and spend some time just holding her hand, or providing other diversions that might help take her mind off her condition. Our lady was in intolerable pain. Pain management is one of the most important areas that you can help with. Make certain that any scheduled pain meds are given on a regular basis and monitor her pain status carefully. Use all the pain management techniques you learn in school and communicate with the doctor if her pain meds don't seem to be effective. Good luck with this challenging assignment.