Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
Hookworm is contracted from exposure to fecal contaminated soil. Filariform larvae mature and enter through exposed skin, usually the feet. From here they migrate hematogenously to the lungs where they are coughed up and swallowed.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
For pinworms, humans can only get infected, but household pets may carry the eggs on their fur. The female carries the eggs to the perianal area to expose them to a more oxygen-enriched environment. Eggs can live for up to 3 weeks.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
For pinworms, albendazole, mebendazole, or pyrantel pamoate are effective treatment options. At least two rounds of treatment, 2 weeks apart, are required, as the medication only kills the adult worm, not the eggs.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
For pinworms, the “scotch tape test” or paddle test revealing the presence of eggs is diagnostic. In this test, an adhesive tape or paddle is placed on several spots around the perianal area, removing eggs that are identified on microscopy.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
Pinworms are an infection caused by the ingestion of eggs from the perianal area of infected individuals. Anal itching (pruritus ani) and scratching aids transmission. The disease is most common in children between ages of 5 and 10 years of age.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
Pinworm eggs are deposited in the perianal area by female worms, mostly at night. Perianal itching can cause autoinfection and/or eggs can be passed on to others via contaminated fingernails, close contact, aerosolization or bed linens.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
Onchocerciasis causes skin changes of varying degrees. Acute and chronic papular dermatitis, skin atrophy (lizard skin), depigmentation (leopard skin) and lichenification (elephant skin) are characteristic. Pruritus is common.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
Shortness of breath, cough and fever may be present in the early phase of Ascariasis, followed by abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea. Loffler syndrome can occur in early infections with significant worm burden.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
Ascariasis is a human nematode infection caused by the ingestion of infectious embryonated eggs from fecal contaminated soil, water or vegetables. Ascariasis is the largest roundworm parasitizing the human intestine and is common in children.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
Colorado tick fever is a viral zoonosis that infects erythrocytes and is characterized by flu-like symptoms and a saddleback fever pattern. Saddleback (biphasic) fever pattern occurs with an initial 3-day phase of abrupt fevers and chills.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
Tularemia is a gram-negative zoonotic bacterial disease associated with rabbits that presents as one of six clinical variants. It is transmitted by tick or deerfly bites or from contact with infected host animals.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a tick-borne zoonotic viral hemorrhagic fever spread via the Hyalomma spp. ticks and/or exposure to infected blood via the slaughter and butchering of domestic livestock.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
Babesiosis (also called Nantucket fever, Texas cattle fever, red water fever, tick fever) is a tick-borne protozoan zoonosis that causes the lysis of host erythrocytes. The disease can range from mild to severe and has symptoms resembling malaria.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Infectious Diseases

Category: Infectious Diseases 
In severe disease of ehrlichiosis, septic shock-like syndrome, respiratory distress, meningoencephalitis, renal failure and death can occur. Severe disease is more common in immunosuppressed, HIV-positive, elderly or asplenic patients.

Critical Care Nurse Practitioner: Night Rounds Note

This is the night progress note I write when I conduct nightly ICU rounds. This format keeps me aware of all the highlights and things going on with the patients. This quick note also allows me the ability to track any concerns and document any problems that occur.