•A dry mouth can be prevented by:

–Ample drinking (not too many sweet drinks)

–Chewing gum (sugarless)

–Keeping the nasal passages open, using cream or drops when there is a blocked nose (mainly at night)

–Sucking on ice cubes

19.2.3.5General Tips on Nursing Care

•Nutrition: protein-rich milk products protect mucous membranes

•Abstain as far as possible from very hot or very cold food

•Avoid spicy hot, sour (e.g., citrus fruit), crunchy, or roughly cut food

•Eat soft food

•Avoid too much salt (e.g., preserved meat)

•Not only do mucous membranes of the mouth dry out, but also the lips. It is particularly important that they not become brittle and cracked. Hence, a normal lip seal or greasy cream may be used as long as mucous membrane is intact

19.2.3.6Treatment

Treatment of stomatitis is performed according to clinical guidelines.

19.2.4Myelosuppression

•Treatment using chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy reduces the number of white blood cells, platelets, and red blood cells. Therefore, a blood count is performed before and at different time points following each treatment and, if necessary, the dose of chemotherapeutic agents is modified

•As a result of cancer and/or its treatment, deficiencies in the production of blood cells may occur, which are summarized by “myelosuppression”

•Leukopenia (increases the risk of infection), thrombocytopenia (increases the risk of bleeding), and anemia (leads to fatigue and pallor)

•These side effects present a major challenge to the nurse. By early detection of infections and bleeding, life-threatening complications may be avoided

•Leukopenia predisposes to infection.

•Risk of infection increases at a leukocyte count less than 1,000/mL and becomes high at less than 500/mL

•Source of infection: intestines, skin

•Nosocomial sources of infection: patient (intestinal flora), staff, visitors, blood products, infusions, air