Understanding daily living
Daily living means the ordinary needs everyone has: a comfortable place, food and drink, passing urine and stool, moving about, sleep, being clean and wearing clean clothes. When people are ill, old or weak, they cannot do some of these alone. The nurse helps, but follows three rules: help only as much as needed so the patient stays independent, keep privacy and dignity, and respect the patient’s own habits and culture.
Environmental adjustment
The room should help the patient heal. The nurse adjusts:
- Temperature: about 22 to 26 °C is comfortable for most people.
- Fresh air and humidity: open windows or use a fan, but avoid a strong draught on the patient.
- Light: bright in the day, dim at night.
- Noise: keep it low; plan procedures so the patient can rest.
- Safety and tidiness: dry floor, clear path, bed at a safe height.
Meals and nutrition
A patient needs the right food (carbohydrate for energy, protein to repair, vegetables and fruit for vitamins and fibre) and enough water. The nurse:
- checks the diet order and any allergies;
- helps the patient sit upright to eat, which lowers the risk of choking;
- helps with cutting food or feeding, slowly and in small bites;
- notes how much was eaten and drunk, and tells the dietitian if the patient eats little.
Excretion
Excretion means passing urine and stool. The nurse gives privacy, a bedpan, commode or help to the toilet, and cleans gently afterwards. She also notices: how often, how much, colour (pale yellow urine is healthy; dark or red is a warning), smell, pain and difficulty. A rough guide: what a person drinks in a day and what they pass should be roughly in balance. This is called the fluid balance (intake and output chart).
Activity and exercise
Moving keeps muscles, joints, lungs, heart and bowels working. Lying still for days causes stiff joints, weak muscles, chest infection and pressure sores. The nurse helps the patient to change position about every 2 hours in bed, sit up, stand and walk as the doctor allows, and uses correct lifting so neither the patient nor the nurse is hurt.
Rest and sleep
Sleep lets the body repair itself. Most adults need about 7 to 9 hours; children and teenagers need more. The nurse helps sleep with a dark, quiet room, a regular bedtime, a comfortable bed, pain relief if needed, and by avoiding strong tea or coffee late in the evening. Planned night care, such as checking someone only when needed, protects sleep.
Cleanliness and clothing
Clean skin, mouth, hair and clothes prevent infection and make people feel good. Nurses help with bathing (shower, sponge bath or bed bath), mouth care (brushing; gentle cleaning for unconscious patients), hair and nail care, and changing clothes when wet or dirty. Clothes should be clean, dry, loose and suitable for the weather. While washing, the nurse checks the skin for redness or sores, covers the patient to keep warmth and dignity, and washes from clean areas to dirtier areas.
Key formulas and definitions
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Worked examples
1. A patient drank 6 glasses of 300 mL each in a day. What is the total intake?
6 × 300 = 1800 mL, which is 1.8 litres.
2. A bedridden patient was turned at 8 a.m. When is the next turn?
About every 2 hours, so around 10 a.m., to protect the skin from pressure sores.
3. A patient sleeps 5 hours a night. How many hours of the 24 are left for being awake?
24 − 5 = 19 hours awake. This is more than usual, so the nurse looks for the reason (pain, noise, worry) and plans help.
Common mistakes
- Doing everything for the patient. Let the patient do what he can.
- Feeding a patient who is lying flat. Sit him upright first.
- Leaving a patient in one position for hours. Turn about every 2 hours.
- Forgetting privacy during toilet care and bathing. Always screen and cover.