Question:

A patient who has started to suffer from diarrhea also telling the nursing assistant of feeling lightheaded when standing. The patient usually has no problem moving around on his or her own (including going to the bathroom). What should the nursing assistant do when this is brought to the attention of the nursing assistant?

A Have the patient perform some sort of physical activity as they need to Position the call bell within reach of the patient so they are able to request assistance the next time they need help out of bed.

Explaination

Providing the patient with a means for calling help is the very first thing a nursing assistant needs to do when this is brought to their attention. If a patient is no suffering from light-headedness it means they may be at a greater risk of falling. It is important to offer this first as the patient’s safety is a top priority. Having a patient move up and down in order to get their blood pumping throughout the body is not necessary and may prove unnecessary (it is important to have the nurse look in on the patient). Having the patient layback down may be needed, but it isn’t the first task an assistant should take.