women with pyelonephritis may be treated as
outpatients (Ramakrishnan and Scheid 2005).
Women in the third trimester of pregnancy are
still admitted to hospital for care (Sharma and
Thapa 2007, Jolley and Wing 2010).
Complete time out activity 6
Patient education
Depending on patient assessment and the
severity of the illness, patient care will involve
the administration of appropriate medication,
including anti-pyretics and analgesics, and
adequate hydration. Monitoring of vital signs
is essential when patients are hospitalised.
Comorbidities and risk factors that make
certain patients more vulnerable to serious
illness should also be managed and monitored.
As the recurrence rate of the illness is relatively
high, especially in certain patient groups such as
pregnant women, patients should be advised of
the causes of pyelonephritis and what steps they
may take to prevent recurrence. For example:
Be aware that certain comorbidities may
make individuals more vulnerable to
pyelonephritis and report any relevant signs
and symptoms to the appropriate health
professional as early as possible.
Maintain personal and sexual hygiene by
washing, showering and post-coital douching.
Maintain adequate hydration; this is
particularly important in high-risk groups
such as those with diabetes or those who are
immunocompromised.
Be aware that there is an increased risk
of pyelonephritis during pregnancy.
Conclusion
Acute pyelonephritis is a relatively uncommon
urological illness. However, some patients will
need to be admitted to hospital for assessment,
treatment and monitoring to avoid renal
impairment. If diagnosed and treated early,
patients will have good clinical outcomes. It is
important that nurses are aware of patient
groups that are at increased risk of developing
serious illness and life-threatening complications
and know how best to treat such patients NS
Complete time out activity