Question

What nursing interventions are required for the patient with peripheral visual deficits?

Answer 1

Visually impaired people need individualized care. Nurses have to understand and provide optimum care to the visually impaired people to enhance the quality of care, avoid delays and reduce the waiting periods. Some of the nursing interventions required for the patient with peripheral visual deficits are given below:

• Addressing the physiological needs: It is about dealing with the regular needs of the day, i.e. drinking, eating, dressing, etc. For example, asking a patient to where to keep a glass after drinking water. Overfilling of fluids in the containers should be avoided to avoid the risk of spillage
• Safety needs: Assisting with preventing falls is another important concern regarding the patients with visual defects. Ensuring good lighting, keeping the floors dry, bed locking are all important measured to prevent falls.
• Belonging needs: The administrative processes such as admitting the patient and discharging take the longer time with the visually impaired patients. The nurse can reduce the patients time in the hospital by assisting with communication. For example, when calling a patient in the outpatient department, the nurse can go towards the person to identify quickly or touch the patient
• Esteem needs: When the patient is introduced into a new environment, it is important to make the patient touch and feel the surroundings in order to enhance orientation and balance. Nurses have to give advance precautions or warnings when initiating any medical procedures to the patient or whenever approaching the patient
• Self-actualization needs: It is important to make the patient and the family members to know the limitations and possibilities of their vision. Encouraging the patient to perform tasks under safe environments is important to enhance the feeling of self-fulfillment and continued personal growth.