Introduction

Cyflwyniad

Elderly man having a heart attack

Observing and monitoring individuals enables prompt recognition of changes that give cause for concern. These may be concerns about an individual’s physical or mental well-being.

Changes could include:

  • breathing difficulties or change in breathing pattern
  • signs of sepsis (slurred speech or confusion, extreme shivering or muscle pain, passing no urine in a day, severe breathlessness, skin mottled or discoloured)
  • signs of stroke (uneven face, drooping arm, slurred speech)
  • signs of heart attack (pressure/tightness in chest or arms, nausea, shortness of breath, cold sweat, fatigue, dizziness)
  • recurrent and unexplained aches/pains
  • mood changes
  • expressing suicidal thoughts
  • lack of care for personal care, appearance and responsibilities
  • changes in sleeping patterns, disrupted sleep
  • increasing reliance on alcohol, drugs, over the counter medication, cigarettes
  • social isolation, reluctance to interact with others
  • loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
  • work performance dipping
  • extreme pain
  • difficulty in mobility
  • high temperature/low temperature
  • unexplained cuts and bruises
  • change in toilet habits, loss of bowel or bladder control
  • increased thirst
  • unexplained bleeding
  • confusion/memory loss
  • weight gain or loss
  • irritable, aggressive or over-sensitive
  • difficulty in concentrating.

Mae arsylwi ar unigolion a'u monitro yn fodd prydlon i adnabod newidiadau sy'n peri pryder. Gall y rhain fod yn bryderon ynglŷn â llesiant corfforol neu feddyliol unigolyn.

Gallai'r newidiadau gynnwys:

  • anawsterau anadlu neu newid mewn patrwm anadlu
  • arwyddion o sepsis (siarad yn aneglur neu ddrysu, crynu eithafol neu boen yn y cyhyrau, dim troethi mewn diwrnod, diffyg anadl difrifol, croen brith neu afliwiedig)
  • arwyddion o strôc (wyneb anghyfartal, braich lipa, siarad yn aneglur)
  • arwyddion o drawiad ar y galon (gwasgedd/tyndra yn y frest neu'r breichiau, cyfog, diffyg anadl, chwys oer, gorflinder, pendro)
  • poenau mynych heb esboniad
  • newidiadau mewn hwyliau
  • mynegi teimladau o feddwl am hunanladdiad
  • diffyg sylw i ofal personol, ymddangosiad a chyfrifoldebau
  • newidiadau mewn patrymau cysgu, cwsg aflonydd
  • dibyniaeth gynyddol ar alcohol, cyffuriau, meddyginiaeth dros y cownter, sigaréts
  • ynysu cymdeithasol, amharodrwydd i ryngweithio ag eraill
  • colli diddordeb mewn gweithgareddau roedd yn eu mwynhau o'r blaen
  • perfformiad yn y gwaith yn dirywio
  • poen difrifol
  • anawsterau symudedd
  • tymheredd uchel/isel
  • briwiau a chleisiau heb esboniad
  • newidiadau mewn arferion mynd i'r toiled, colli rheolaeth dros y coluddyn neu'r bledren
  • mwy o syched
  • gwaedu heb esboniad
  • drysu/colli cof
  • magu neu golli pwysau
  • piwis, ymosodol neu orsensitif
  • anhawster canolbwyntio.

Observing, monitoring, recording and reporting changes

Arsylwi ar newidiadau, eu monitro, eu cofnodi a rhoi gwybod amdanynt

Stethoscope

Where an individual has a diagnosed health condition it is important that their condition is observed, monitored and recorded for a number of reasons:

  • to monitor the individual’s overall well-being (physical and mental)
  • monitoring and observation enables early identification of changes in an individual’s daily routines, communication, behaviour, mood
  • to check on any changes in health e.g. shortness of breath, rashes
  • to monitor any changes in personal care by the individual (e.g. a previously neat and tidy individual appearing unkempt)
  • to monitor the effectiveness of medication being administered
  • to identify if there are any side effects from medication
  • to indicate if any changes in medication are needed
  • to ensure a duty of care towards individuals is met
  • to identify concerns about an individual’s health
  • to ensure conditions (e.g. diabetes/blood pressure) are being controlled by medication
  • to monitor whether an individual is developing any mental health issues as a result of a physical condition (e.g. anxiety or depression)
  • to identify the needs of an individual and create and amend care plans
  • to share information with the individual to promote joint decision making.

It is important that clear records are kept with full details e.g. date/time for a number of reasons:

  • to support consistent, safe and high-quality care
  • to identify any trends, patterns or concerns
  • to evaluate and to amend care plans
  • to seek advice from professionals such as doctors
  • to be able to make decisions about medication
  • to clarify any complaint issues
  • to enable effective handovers to other staff and provide consistent round the clock care.

Any concerns or changes in the health and well-being of individuals should be reported for a number of reasons:

  • to access specialist support, enable hospitalisation
  • to be able to contact family members
  • to adjust medication
  • to avoid the spread of any infection/infectious illness
  • to be able to increase observation and monitoring
  • to investigate any possible neglect of duty of care or abuse
  • to amend care plans
  • to facilitate changes to routines for the individual
  • to plan and implement activities and routines to support mental well-being
  • to be able to access any specialist equipment required
  • to identify and record any near misses or mistakes.

Os oes gan unigolyn gyflwr iechyd, mae'n bwysig arsylwi ar ei gyflwr, ei fonitro a'i gofnodi am nifer o resymau:

  • er mwyn monitro llesiant cyffredinol yr unigolyn (corfforol a meddyliol)
  • mae monitro ac arsylwi yn fodd i nodi newidiadau yn arferion dyddiol unigolyn, y ffordd mae'n cyfathrebu, ei ymddygiad a'i hwyliau
  • er mwyn cadw golwg ar unrhyw newidiadau o ran iechyd, e.e. diffyg anadl, brechau
  • er mwyn monitro unrhyw newidiadau yng ngofal personol yr unigolyn (e.e. unigolyn a oedd yn drefnus ac yn daclus o'r blaen yn ymddangos yn flêr)
  • er mwyn monitro effeithiolrwydd meddyginiaeth sy'n cael ei rhoi
  • er mwyn nodi unrhyw sgil effeithiau meddyginiaeth
  • er mwyn gweld a oes angen unrhyw newidiadau i feddyginiaeth
  • er mwyn sicrhau bod dyletswydd gofal tuag at unigolion yn cael ei chyflawni
  • er mwyn nodi pryderon ynglŷn ag iechyd unigolyn
  • er mwyn sicrhau bod cyflyrau (e.e. diabetes/pwysedd gwaed) yn cael eu rheoli gan feddyginiaeth
  • er mwyn monitro a yw unigolyn yn datblygu unrhyw broblemau iechyd meddwl o ganlyniad i gyflwr corfforol (e.e. gorbryder neu iselder)
  • er mwyn nodi anghenion unigolyn a chreu a diwygio cynlluniau gofal
  • er mwyn rhannu gwybodaeth gyda’r unigolyn er mwyn hyrwyddo gwneud penderfyniadau ar y cyd.

Mae'n bwysig cadw cofnodion clir sy'n cynnwys manylion llawn, e.e. dyddiad/amser, am nifer o resymau:

  • er mwyn cefnogi gofal cyson a diogel o ansawdd da
  • er mwyn nodi unrhyw dueddiadau, patrymau neu bryderon
  • er mwyn gwerthuso a diwygio cynlluniau gofal
  • er mwyn ceisio cyngor gan weithwyr proffesiynol fel meddygon
  • er mwyn gallu gwneud penderfyniadau ynglŷn â meddyginiaeth
  • er mwyn egluro unrhyw faterion yn ymwneud â chwynion
  • er mwyn gallu trosglwyddo'n effeithiol i aelodau eraill o staff a darparu gofal cyson bob awr o'r dydd a'r nos.

Dylid rhoi gwybod am unrhyw bryderon neu newidiadau i iechyd a llesiant unigolion am nifer o resymau:

  • er mwyn gallu cael cymorth arbenigol ac anfon yr unigolyn i'r ysbyty
  • er mwyn gallu cysylltu ag aelodau o'r teulu
  • er mwyn addasu meddyginiaeth
  • er mwyn osgoi'r perygl y bydd unrhyw heintiau/salwch heintus yn lledaenu
  • er mwyn gallu gwneud mwy o arsylwi a monitro
  • er mwyn ymchwilio i unrhyw achos posibl o esgeuluso dyletswydd gofal neu gam-drin
  • er mwyn diwygio cynlluniau gofal
  • er mwyn hwyluso newidiadau i arferion yr unigolyn
  • er mwyn cynllunio a chynnal gweithgareddau ac arferion i gefnogi llesiant meddyliol
  • er mwyn gall cael unrhyw offer arbenigol sydd eu hangen
  • er mwyn nodi a chofnodi unrhyw gamgymeriadau neu ddamweiniau a fu bron â digwydd.

Would the following cause concerns about an individual’s physical health, mental well-being or both?

A fyddai'r canlynol yn peri pryderon ynglŷn ag iechyd corfforol neu iechyd meddwl unigolyn, neu'r ddau?

Drag the options to the column of your choice. There are no correct answers, though some would quite obviously raise concerns about either physical or mental health. You need to be able to support your decision.

Llusgwch yr opsiynau i'r golofn o'ch dewis. Nid oes unrhyw atebion cywir, ond mae'n weddol amlwg y byddai rhai yn peri pryderon ynglŷn ag iechyd corfforol neu iechyd meddwl. Bydd angen i chi allu cyfiawnhau eich penderfyniad.