Nursing Management of Cholera Patients in Zambia

Abstract

This book focuses on resuscitating the cholera patient in order to simplify healthcare provision in medically-disadvantaged rural health care settings. Its main purpose is knowledge transfer of the modalities of patient resuscitation in clinical practice. Justification of Need This book is a landmark text for all nurse-educators who are involved in teaching student nurses in clinical areas. This knowledge acquisition will help build the confidence of the students in clinical practice and thus raise the quality of health care provision. The production of this book builds on the other existing pamphlets written on personal hygiene practices and maintenance of environmental sanitation and also describes the handling of cholera patients in various hospital units in order to prevent nosocomial injections. All health care professionals are required to be very proficient in resuscitating dehydrated patients due to the public's higher expectations as a result of the cost sharing schemes that are now in place. The health care consumer now expects quality care for their money's worth. This book will guide the newly qualified health care practitioner to acquire the knowledge on choosing the right intravenous formulae to use for resuscitating the dehydrated patient. Target Groups The primary target group includes all the experienced health care personnel and clinicians who care for cholera patients in various health centres in the country. The secondary target group are the nurse preceptors/clinical tutors, nurse-educators, Infection Prevention focal point persons, Infection Prevention liaison personnel who will be doing the knowledge transfer to students both in classrooms and clinical settings. Basically, the book is on the resuscitation of the dehydrated cholera patient. It has four chapters. Chapter One deals with the origin and magnitude of cholera in Zambia which justifies its documentation to demonstrate the urgency of the target groups meeting the objectives of the book, the micro-organisms which cause cholera, its signs and symptoms and the modes of transmission. Chapter Two deals with diagnosing cholera using the nursing process. It goes further to develop a Nursing Care Plan for the cholera patient. It lists the medical and nursing care items required in setting up of cholera units in affected areas. Chapter Three discusses the prophylaxis and treatment of cholera patients and describes the signs and symptoms of cholera and the onset of dehydration and its progression. It also gives a guide to setting up of intravenous infusions in cholera patients as Well as the rehydration the rapy and subsequent feeding of cholera patients. Chapter Four describes the policy and guidelines which guide the handling of cholera patients in various hospital units as well as the record keeping during cholera outbreaks. It is hoped that the publication of this book will contribute to reducing morbidity and mortality rates due to cholera by implementing cholera preparedness modalities by District Health Management Boards long before the onset of the rainy season in Zambia.