A community pharmacy environment that fosters teamwork ensured high levels of consumer satisfaction. This series of articles is designed for you to use as guide to assist your team in focusing on meeting ongoing CPD targets and to identify any training needs in order to keep the knowledge and skills of you and your team up to date
The below information, considerations and checklist provides support to enable you to run a team training session and identify opportunities for learning within the topic of Dehydration.
Dehydration occurs when the body loses more fluids than it takes in, leading to an imbalance that affects normal bodily functions. Even mild dehydration can cause headaches, fatigue, and constipation. Given that the human body is approximately 60-75% water, maintaining proper hydration is critical to overall health.
Our bodies have a natural water regulation system, with thirst acting as an indicator to replenish lost fluids. However, dehydration can occur even before thirst sets in, particularly in older adults. Although drinking fluids generally restores hydration, severe cases require immediate medical attention.
Key Facts About Dehydration
• The human body is primarily composed of water, making hydration essential for survival.
• Common causes of dehydration include diarrhoea, vomiting, excessive sweating, and insufficient fluid intake.
• Those at a higher risk include athletes, older adults, and individuals with chronic illnesses.
• Early signs include dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness, and darkcoloured urine, which serves as a key indicator of hydration levels.
Recognising the Symptoms
Mild to Moderate Dehydration
Symptoms:
• Thirst
• Dark urine and decreased urine output
• Dry mouth
• Fatigue and muscle weakness
• Headache and dizziness
Severe Dehydration Symptoms (Loss of 10-15% of Body Fluid):
• Lack of sweating
• Sunken eyes
• Dry and shrivelled skin
• Low blood pressure and rapid heart rate
• High fever
• Delirium or unconsciousness
Who Is Most at Risk?
While dehydration can affect anyone, certain groups are more vulnerable, including:
• Older adults: They may drink less to avoid frequent urination and may not experience thirst as strongly due to age-related changes in brain signalling.
• Athletes: High-intensity training and endurance sports increase fluid loss through sweating, which can impact performance and recovery.
• Infants and young children: Diarrhoea and vomiting are the most common causes of dehydration in this group.
• People with chronic conditions: Those with diabetes, kidney disease, adrenal gland disorders, or cystic fibrosis are at a heightened risk.
Effective Treatment for Dehydration
The key to treating dehydration is replacing lost fluids and electrolytes appropriately. The best treatment depends on the individual’s age, severity of dehydration, and the underlying cause.
For Infants and Young Children:
• Use an oral rehydration solution (ORS), available over the counter, which contains the right balance of water, salts, and electrolytes.
• Begin with small amounts (e.g., a teaspoon every few minutes) and increase gradually.
• For older children, dilute sports drinks with equal parts water to avoid excessive sugar intake.
For Adults:
• Increase fluid intake by drinking water, clear broths, or electrolytecontaining beverages.
• Avoid full-strength fruit juices and soft drinks, as they may worsen diarrhoea.
• For those exercising in hot or humid weather, sports drinks with electrolytes can be beneficial, but water remains the best choice.
Community pharmacies play a vital role in educating and assisting customers with hydration and dehydration concerns. By fostering a team-based learning environment, pharmacy staff can stay informed, improve patient interactions, and enhance service quality. Encouraging regular training sessions and discussions on health topics ensures that pharmacy teams remain confident and well-equipped to support their communities.
By incorporating hydration education into your CPD strategy, you help ensure that customers receive accurate advice and practical solutions to stay healthy and hydrated.
Consider:
– The first symptoms of dehydration
– How to identify severe dehydration
– When to refer someone for further investigation
- Those at greatest risk of suffering from dehydration
Key Points:
Check your pharmacy team are aware and understand the following key points:
- The pharmacy team knows to what to advise in older adults drinking less water
- The team knows which groups of customers are likely to be at greatest risk of dehydration
- My pharmacy assistants can meet the points in this training checklist.
Actions:
Ensure the team can meet the needs of patients who experience dehydration due to everyday nonmedical causes (such as excessive sweating) and those who experience dehydration due to common medical conditions (such as gastroenteritis)
– Ensure that I and the team are aware of the treatments for dehydration and appropriate counselling
- Do we understand the reasons why some people may be at greater risk of dehydration? What are these?
– Are we confident on the appropriate amount of ORS to give in the first 4 hours to children and to adults?
– Can we provide good advice on dealing with dehydration?
- Train the team to meet all the above considerations
Catch more at IPN HERE
Read IPN September HERE
