Nursing Responsibilities in Patients With Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C causes inflammation of the liver. Caused by the hepatitis C virus, this disease spreads through sexual contact with an infected person; using dirty needles for tattooing, piercing and drug use; or using the personal hygiene products of someone with the disease. Nurses have specific responsibilities in caring for hepatitis C patients. These responsibilities help patients better manage the disease and improve their quality of life.

Patient Education

• Nurses play an important role in patient education. They explain hepatitis C to infected patients, tell them how the disease usually progresses and advise them on when to contact a doctor.

Nutrition Management

• Since nutrition affects the overall health of the body, nurses discuss the importance of nutrition with hepatitis C patients, and counsel them about how to improve their nutrition habits. Since some herbal supplements can harm the liver, nurses also discuss the importance of checking supplement labels and avoiding supplements that cause liver damage.

Medication Management

• Nebraska Health & Human Services reports that nurses review prescriptions, determine if patients take all of their medications appropriately, ask patients which over-the-counter medications they use and determine if any of the drugs have the potential to cause liver damage. If any of the medications pose a risk to the liver, nurses work to identify safer alternatives.

Risk Identification

• Since people infected with hepatitis C can spread the disease to other people, nurses work with infected patients to identify risky behaviors. During an assessment, a nurse should ask if the person shares needles, has unprotected sex or shares personal hygiene products with others. If the patient reports that he engages in any of these behaviors, the nurse should provide counseling and educate the patient about how these behaviors increase the risk of transmitting the disease to others.

Patient Monitoring

• Hospital and clinic nurses monitor hepatitis patients to determine if the medical team should make any changes in their treatment plans. Nurses review laboratory results, identify signs of advancing hepatitis and determine how well each patient responds to treatment.

Physician Reporting

• Physicians rely on nurses to report important medical information about hepatitis patients. If a nurse determines that a patient's condition has worsened, she should report it to a physician immediately. Nurses also report critical lab values or unusual test results to a doctor for immediate action.