Instruct the students about fall prevention. Students can practice fall prevention by making the room well-lit and clutter-free. Set up a room, so falls are not easily prevented, to test the students. This room should include throw rugs on the floor, dim lights and a high bed. The patient chart should indicate the patient is 65 or older, and has a history of falling. Nursing assistants should be graded on their ability to read the chart to determine this patient is at a higher risk for falling, and for taking appropriate measures to make the room safe. Students should also be aware that if their patient does fall out of bed, as a nursing assistant, their job is to remain with the patient and call for the nurse without moving the patient, in case of injury.
In this activity, the nurse takes care of a patient who is either diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and is extremely confused and scared, or exhibits signs of depression (i.e. the patient wants to stay in bed all day and feels less social than usual). The student should determine the problem and the best way to deal with the situation. For example; if dealing with a patient with Alzheimer's disease who seems disoriented and confused, the nursing assistant should explain things slowly and repeatedly to the patient until the patient gains an understanding of what's going on. If the patient seems withdrawn, the student should begin monitoring things such as food intake and changes in sleeping habits, along with other common signs of depression.
In this exercise, the patient receives a food tray at meal time and has a problem. It is up to the student to determine the problem. Students should start by looking at the chart to gain a clear understanding of their patient. For example; some patients may need to have their food pureed to prevent choking. If a patient had a left-sided stroke, the eating utensils must be set up on the right side of the patient. Some patients aren't able to sit up to drink, so those patients should be checked on after their meal, and should be offered a drink. There are many diet considerations for patients admitted to a hospital, and the point of this exercise is to help students learn how to be on the lookout for different conditions, so food trays are prepared accordingly and appropriate patient care is offered throughout the meal.
For this exercise, the student deals with a patient who is being difficult. This patient may be verbally abusive, may refuse help (such as getting dressed), or may have some other issue that might not be easy to deal with. The point of this exercise is to determine the appropriate and ethical way to respond to such a patient. For example; if a patient refuses to do something, it is inappropriate to tell the patient he or she must do it or be returned to his or her room. This type of threat is a form of verbal abuse. Instead, it's better to explain to the patient why he or she must do whatever it is, or why it would help the student do his or her job better.