what is a treatment?

[peachmouse]

I have a care plan package due on Monday. We had to do a H&P, 4 med researches, dietary assessment, diagnostic tests, lab tests, care plan, etc. One of the things we have to do is answer for questions on a treatment. What is considered a treatment exactly? For example the patient my package is on was on a PCA pump. I thought this would be a treatment but when I asked my instructor she said it wasn't other than that she did not offer much help (unfortunately she is not a big help at clinicals she expects us to know how to do everything even if we haven't learned it). The patient did not have any dressings or anything. I did administer 40mg IV protonix. I also did a SL flush on him. Other than that there wasn't anything. Would either of these things fall under the treatments? I am a little confused.

[teeniebert, LPN]

General rule: treatments are things that go ON the body, not IN it. "Benadryl 25mg po q 4hrs prn itching" is a medication. "Benadryl cream to reddened area on left upper arm TID prn itching" is a treatment. Things that touch the body but are noninvasive are also treatments--oxygen, turn & reposition q 2hrs, slings, orthoses, braces, wound vac, CPAP, pressure-reducing mattress, etc. Hope this helps!

Edited to add: evaluations like Braden Scale and Falls Risk Score may also be considered treatments depending on the facility/program.