Acute Pyelonephritis : Nursing Management
Nursing Management
- Nursing Assessment
- Mild Symptoms
- Outpatient management or short hospitalization
- Adequate fluid intake
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or antipyretic drugs
- Follow-up urine culture and imaging studies
- Outpatient management or short hospitalization
- Severe Symptoms
- Hospitalization
- Adequate fluid intake (parenteral initially; switch to oral fluids as nausea, vomiting, and dehydration subside)
- NSAIDs or antipyretic drugs to reverse fever and relieve discomfort
- Follow-up urine culture and imaging studies
- Mild Symptoms
- Nursing Planning
- The overall goals are that the patient with pyelonephritis will have
- Normal renal function
- Normal body temperature
- No complications
- Relief of pain
- No recurrence of symptoms
- The overall goals are that the patient with pyelonephritis will have
- Nursing Implementation
- Nursing interventions vary depending on the severity of symptoms.
- These interventions include teaching the patient about the disease process with emphasis on
- Continuing medications as prescribed
- Having a follow-up urine culture
- Recognizing manifestations of recurrence or relapse
- In addition to antibiotic therapy, encourage the patient to drink at least eight glasses of fluid every day, even after the infection has been treated.
- Rest will increase patient comfort.