Ward Management
Manish Sharma
Objectives:
- Provides Quality nursing care.
- Supervises cleanliness and maintenance of ward.
Introduction:
The implementation of overall plan for nursing department provides for establishment of a number of units of wards. So the process of administration must enter into these wards.
Objectives of Ward Management:
- To provide highest quality nursing care for patient.
- To provide a clean, well ventilated environment for patient and protect him from infection, accidents and hazards.
- To help the staff in achieving highest degree of job satisfaction.
- To provide facilities to meet the needs of patient and their attendants.
Components of Ward Managements:
- Patient care.
- Personnel Management.
- Supply and equipment.
- Environment Cleanliness.
- Interpretation of policies and procedures.
A) Patient Care:
This include all activities necessary to provide nursing care
- Concerned with comfort and well being of every patient.
- Assessment of patients need and planning or care.
- Concerned with carrying out of medical treatment. Helping physician in carrying out procedures, preparing equipment for assisting physician with diagnostic tests and therapeutic measures. Giving medicine and carrying out treatment, observing patient for any untoward reaction following treatment and making necessary measures to combat them.
- Concerned with education of Staff Nurses (incidental and planned), concerned with patient and relatives about maintaining and improving his health and to carry out his treatment when he goes home.
B) Personnel:
Assignment of personnel for patient care Staff Nurses can be given assignment according to patient i.e. patient assignment or it can be functional assignment.
It is responsibility of ward sister to take ward round. Ward round is a tool of super vision, evaluation and teaching. Ward round is of different types.
- Doctor round
- Matron round
- Ward sister round
Doctor Round:
Two essential figures at a ward round are Doctor and nursing sister. It is no way necessary for ward sister to feel inferior to a doctor when he comes to her ward as her function is that of coordinating team which function for the benefit of patients.
Preparations for Round:
- Ward should be clean and tidy.
- There should not be too many relatives in the ward.
- Patient charts should be upto date and all relevant information regarding patient should be available.
- Have all patients in bed before round.
- Diagnostic tray should be ready for use.
- Do not conduct round during lunch time/visiting hours.
Conducting Round:
- Instruct the staff nurse to stay on patients left side to help in patient’s examination.
- Remember and report observation to doctor.
- record orders/get them written by doctors.
After the ward Round:
- Instruct staff nurses to carry out orders
- Observe patient carefully.
Matron’s Round:
Matron is usually looked upon a confident adviser. She must visit patients regularly and take this opportunity to provide guidance to nurses.
Ward Sister Round:
Ward sister should also take round with staff nurses. She observes which patient is critically ill and require skilled attention, to supervisor normal routine of ward. To check poison cupboard. To have an idea of condition of stock and equipment and to note the standard of work.
C) Domestic Management:
Sanitation and Provision of Therapeutic environment includes:
- Temperature regulation.
- Proper light.
- Elimination of unpleasant odours.
- Safe water supply.
- Safe disposal of excreta.
- Dust control
- Free from insects and pest.
- Protection from mechanical, thermal, chemical and bacteriological injury.
- Protection from radiation.
- Provide adequate privacy.
- Control of visitors.
- Prevention of infection.
Actions for ward management:
- Analyse nursing needs of patient and skill of person.
- Prepare monthly, weekly and daily time table for S/Nurses.
- give teaching and guidance to juniors.
- Develop good human relations.
- Evaluate personnel.
- Maintain inventories, requisting for supplies and services.
- Assign tasks to nurses.
- Coordinate with other departments for effective patient care.
- Gain co-operation from subordinates and supervisors.
- Delegate responsibility for patient care.
