N104: Essentials of Nursing Care - Health Safety

N104: Essentials of Nursing Care – Health Safety Study Guide into the body and the onset of symptoms. The length of this period depends on the microorganism involved. • Stage two, prodromal: The time of onset of nonspecific symptoms, such as fatigue or fever, until specific symptoms of the infection appear. This is the stage in which the infectious organism is most likely to spread. • Stage three, illness: During this stage, symptoms specific to the disease process will occur. • Stage four, convalescent: During this stage, symptoms begin to disappear and the patient begins to return to a state of health. Inflammation When an infectious agent cannot be repelled in any other way, the body will begin to respond with an inflammatory response. Inflammation is a process by which the body’s white blood cells and chemicals protect the body from infection and foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses. The three stages of the inflammatory process are: • Vascular/cellular response: First blood vessel constriction occurs, which is then quickly followed by dilation, which causes the area to become warm and reddened. An increase in fluid, protein, and leukocytes will cause further pain and swelling. Leukocytes move through the blood vessel walls and into the bloodstream resulting in leukocytosis. This rise in leukocytes will be reflected in an increase in leukocyte counts in the lab work of a patient experiencing inflammation. • Exudate production: Exudate is composed of fluid and dead cells. It accumulates in the tissue area and is than removed through the lymphatic system. • Reparative phase: The injured tissue is repaired through regeneration or fibrous tissue formation (scarring). Signs of inflammation include pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function. Symptoms of inflammation may include fever, chills, GI symptoms, and increased white blood cell or leukocyte count. 6.4 Wounds A wound is a type of injury in which skin is torn, cut, or punctured (an open wound) or where blunt force trauma causes a contusion (a closed wound). The ability of the body to heal a wound depends on the type, cause, and depth of the wound as well as whether other structures beyond the skin are involved. The patient’s overall health will also play a role in wound healing. Three phases of wound healing have been described as: • Inflammation: This as described in the inflammation section above. In general, this process will last from one to three days. • Regeneration or proliferation: This is where the epidermal cells begin to reproduce to fill in the wound and recreate the thickness of the healthy skin. Typically, this process occurs from day four through day 21. • Maturation: This is the final stage of wound healing and begins at approximately three weeks after the initial injury, and may continue as long as two years. During this period, the wound develops strength.

©2017

Achieve Test Prep

Page 91

of 135