Perioperative care of the surgical patient

Question 1

What are some examples of changing trends in surgery?

Answer 1

1. Technological (anaesthetics & laser & laparoscopic surgeries)
2. Economic trends (day surgery and perioperative visiting)
3. Ethical issues (autologous blood transfusions)
4. Organ transplantation
5. Client autonomy

Question 2

What are the 6 classifications of surgical procedures?

Answer 2

1. Emergency
2. Urgent
3. Diagnostic
4. Elective
5. Palliative
6. Cosmetic

Question 3

Define perioperative nursing care.

Answer 3

The delivery of patient care in the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative periods of the patient’s surgical experience through the framework of the nursing process.

Question 4

What specific nursing patient assessments should occur in the preoperative stage?

Answer 4

1. Health Hx
2. Physiological assessment
3. Knowledge deficits
4. Past medical / surgical Hx
5. Medications & Allergies
6. Focused assessments (VSS, diagnostic, psychosocial assessments).

Question 5

What are 8 intraoperative patient complications?

Answer 5

1. Hypoventilation
2. Cardiac dysrhythmias
3. Hypotension
4. Hypothermia
5. Oral trauma (intubation)
6. Peripheral nerve damage
7. Pressure ulcer development
8. Malignant hypothermia

Question 6

What are the 3 primary body systems do nurses focus on the the postoperative environment?

Answer 6

1. Respiratory [obstruction, laryngospasm, hypoxaemia, atelectais, hypoventilaiton, bronchospasm]
2. Cardiovascular [hypo/hypertension, fluid & electrolyte imbalance, dysrrhythmias]
3. CNS & pain [emergence delirium, delayed awakening, neurological deficits]

Question 7

What postoperative nursing cares occur in the ward?

Answer 7

1. Pt assessments
2. Continued monitoring
3. Pain relief
4. IV fluids
5. Wound assessment
6. Hygiene
7. Positioning
8. Nutrition
9. Elimination
10. Documentation

Question 8

What are the 4W’s for postoperative nursing cares once returned to ward?

Answer 8

1. Wind (prevent respiratory complications)
2. Wound (prevent infections)
3. Water (input/output)
4. Walk (Prevent DVT, mobilisation)

Question 9

What are 6 key nursing skills?

Answer 9

1. Communication
2. Observation
3. Critical thinking
4. Decision making
5. Clinical practice, reflection
6. Documentation