A home health nurse is caring for a patient with intermittent pruritus with no underlying pathological process. To reduce the severity of this problem, the nurse should instruct the patient to:
Explanation
• Pruritus should be treated based on the pathological cause. If no cause is identified, non-pharmacological interventions aimed at preventing dryness and irritations are primarily used.
• The patient should use a humidifier or vaporizer.
• To avoid dehydrating the skin, hot showers and harsh soaps should be avoided. Instead, the patient should take warm showers with gentle cleansers and apply lotion afterward.
• The nurse should instruct the patient to avoid dehumidifiers and corticosteroids because these can dry the skin.