Observe patient's thought processes during every shift. Document and report any changes. Changes may indicate progressive improvement or a decline in patient's underlying condition.- Implement appropriate safety measures to protect patient from injury. Patient may be unable to provide for own safety needs.
Call patient by name and mention your name. Provide background information (place, time, and date) frequently throughout the day to provide reality orientation. Use a reality orientation board to visually reinforce reality orientation.- Spend sufficient time with patient to allow him or her to become comfortable discussing memory loss to establish a trusting relationship.
- Inform patient that you're aware of patient's memory loss and that you'll provide help in coping with the condition to bring the issue into the open and help patient understand that your goal is to be supportive.
Be clear, concise, and direct in establishing goals so that patient can maximize the use of remaining cognitive skills.- Offer short, simple explanations to patient each time you carry out any medical or nursing procedure to avoid confusion.
- Label patient's personal possessions and photos, keeping them in the same place as much as possible to reduce confusion and create a secure environment.
- Encourage patient to develop a consistent routine for performing activities of daily living to enhance patient's self-esteem and increase self-awareness and awareness of patient's environment.
- Teach patient ways to cope with memory loss—for example, using an alarm to remind patient when to eat or take medications, using a pillbox organized by days of the week, keeping lists in notebooks or a pocket calendar, and having family members or friends provide reminders of important tasks. Reminders help limit the amount of information patient must maintain in memory.
- Encourage patient to interact with others to increase social involvement, which may decline with memory loss.
- Encourage patient to express the feelings associated with impaired memory to reduce the impact of memory impairment on patient's self-image and lessen anxiety.
- Help patient and family members establish goals for coping with memory loss. Discuss with family members the need to maintain the least restrictive environment possible. Instruct them on how to maintain a safe home environment for patient. This helps ensure that patient's needs are met and promotes independence.
- Demonstrate reorientation techniques to family members and provide time for supervised return demonstrations to prepare them to cope with the patient with memory impairment.
Help family members identify appropriate community support groups, mental health services, and social service agencies to assist in coping with the effects of patient's illness or injury.
Suggested NIC Interventions
Anxiety Reduction; Calming Technique; Cerebral Perfusion Promotion; Dementia Management; Fluid/Electrolyte Management; Memory Training; Neurologic Monitoring; Reality Orientation |