Caregiver Training Course-Part 3
Module 7: Gastrointestinal Care, Nutrition & Elimination
Hours: 4 Didactic | 7 Lab
Learning Objectives: Manage enteral nutrition delivery, perform ostomy hygiene, manage aspiration risk, and assess GI diagnostics.
Core Procedures:
7.1 Pouching a Colostomy: Cleaning an abdominal bowel stoma and applying a secure collection pouching system.
7.2 Assisting with Bed Pan: Positioning a standard or fracture bedpan under an immobilized patient for bowel or bladder elimination.
7.3 Performing Gastric Occult and pH Testing: Testing enteral fluid pH to confirm tube placement and screening aspirate for hidden blood.
7.4 Removing Feeding Tube: Withdrawing a nasogastric tube smoothly while the patient holds their breath to avoid aspiration.
7.5 Performing Fecal Occult Blood Testing: Applying a stool sample to a guaiac developer card to screen for hidden gastrointestinal bleeding.
7.6 Cleansing Enema Administration: Instilling fluid into the rectum to stimulate bowel peristalsis and evacuate stool.
7.7 Administering Enteral Tube Feeds: Delivering bolus or continuous nutritional formulas through nasogastric or gastrostomy (G-tube) ports, including checking gastric residual volume and flushing lines.
7.8 Assisting Patients with Dysphagia: Implementing aspiration precautions, chin-tuck positioning, and fluid thickening protocols during meals.
7.9 Measuring and Recording Intake and Output (I&O): Quantifying total oral/enteral fluid intake against urinary, wound drain, and gastrointestinal output over a 24-hour period.
7.10 Feeding the Person: Assisting dependent patients with oral intake using safe positioning, patient-paced feeding, and choking risk mitigation.
7.11 Serving Meal Trays: Verifying prescribed patient dietary orders, delivering meals at proper temperatures, and setting up eating utensils for maximum patient independence.
7.12 Helping the Person to the Commode: Safely transferring and supporting patients during elimination on a bedside commode while maintaining privacy and fall safety.
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Module 8: Urinary System & Ostomy Care
Hours: 3 Didactic | 7 Lab
Learning Objectives: Execute aseptic urinary catheterization, perform catheter care, maintain closed drainage systems, and manage urostomies.
Core Procedures:
8.1 Assisting with a Urinal: Helping a bedbound male patient position a handheld collection container for voiding.
8.2 Obtaining Specimen From Indwelling Catheter: Aspirating sterile urine from a closed urinary catheter sampling port using a needleless syringe.
8.3 Assisting with Mid-Stream Urine Collection: Instructing a patient on clean-catch perineal hygiene and collecting a mid-stream urine sample.
8.4 Pouching a Urostomy (Pouching a Uterostomy): Cleansing a urinary diversion stoma and applying a leak-proof pouch to continuously collect urine.
8.5 Inserting and Removing Indwelling Urinary Catheters FEMALE / MALE: Applying sterile technique to insert a Foley catheter, inflate the retention balloon, and safely deflate/remove it when discontinued.
8.8 Collecting a 24-Hour Urine Specimen: Managing the continuous, quantitative collection and storage of all voided urine over an exact 24-hour cycle for metabolic and renal diagnostic evaluation.
8.6 Maintaining Indwelling Catheter & Drainage Systems: Cleansing catheter tubing, securing anchors to the thigh, and maintaining an unobstructed, closed drainage system positioned below bladder level.
8.7 Applying a Condom Catheter: Selecting the correct size, applying non-invasive external urinary sheath containment, and securing it to prevent skin maceration.
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Module 9: Wound Care & Tissue Integrity
Hours: 3 Didactic | 6 Lab
Learning Objectives: Assess tissue beds, perform aseptic dressing changes, manage open/closed wound irrigation, and operate surgical drains.
Core Procedures:
9.1 Assessing Wounds: Measuring wound dimensions, evaluating tissue bed status, exudate, and surrounding skin integrity.
9.2 Changing Wound Dressing: Removing soiled dressings, cleansing the wound bed, and applying new sterile protective coverings.
9.3 Caring for Pressure Ulcers: Cleaning, staging, treating, and offloading pressure from localized ischemic tissue injuries.
9.4 Irrigating Wound: Flushing a open wound bed with sterile fluid under controlled pressure to remove exudate and debris.
9.5 Emptying and Re-establishing Closed Surgical Drains: Draining, measuring exudate from Jackson-Pratt (JP) or Hemovac reservoirs, and compressing the device to re-establish negative suction pressure.
9.6 Applying Anti-Embolism Stockings (TED Hose): Measuring leg dimensions and applying sequential or compression stockings to prevent venous stasis and deep vein thrombosis.
9.7 The Surgical Skin Prep—Shaving the Skin: Preparing operative sites through aseptic hair removal and skin cleansing according to pre-operative surgical orders.
9.8 Performing a Hot or Cold Soak: Immersing targeted body extremities in therapeutic temperature-controlled liquid solutions to reduce swelling or increase tissue perfusion.
9.9 Applying Hot or Cold Pack / Ice Bag / Collar / Glove: Applying localized thermal devices safely to target tissue areas while preventing skin thermal injury or frostbite.
9.10 Applying a Hot or Cold Compress: Positioning moist, temperature-regulated dressings over localized body areas for targeted pain relief or inflammation reduction.
9.11 Using an Aquamatic or Aquathermia Pad: Operating electric temperature-regulated water circulation heating pads safely with protective barriers to prevent skin burns.
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Module 10: Diagnostic & Point-of-Care Testing
Hours: 2 Didactic | 4 Lab
Learning Objectives: Conduct accurate bedside diagnostic testing, perform instrument quality controls, and record multi-lead ECG tracings.
Core Procedures:
10.1 Performing Blood Glucose Testing: Obtaining capillary blood via skin lancet puncture to measure real-time blood glucose on a glucometer.
10.2 Performing Urine Dipstick Reagent Testing: Reagent strip testing of fresh urine to evaluate pH, specific gravity, protein, glucose, ketones, and leukocytes.
10.3 Obtaining a 12-Lead Electrocardiogram (ECG): Placing limb leads and precordial chest electrodes (V1–V6) accurately to record a diagnostic cardiac rhythm tracing.
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Module 11: Emergency Response & Post-Mortem Care
Hours: 2 Didactic | 2 Lab
Learning Objectives: Execute emergency airway clearance for choking victims and demonstrate respectful post-mortem preparation.
Core Procedures:
11.1 Managing Foreign Body Airway Obstruction: Executing abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) or chest thrusts on conscious and unconscious choking victims.
11.2 Providing Post-Mortem Care: Performing hygienic body cleansing, aligning anatomy, placing identification tags, and preparing the body respectfully for family viewing or transport.
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