Week 3 - Preop Flashcards
What tool completed by nurses before pt goes for surgery or procedures? Accurate completion of this tool is essential.
Pre-Operative Screening Tool
What pre-operative assessments must the nurse get? (10)
- Current health status
- Allergies
- Medications
- Previous surgeries
- Mental status
- Understanding of the surgical procedure and anesthesia
- Smoking, alcohol, and other mind-altering substances
- Coping
- Social resources
- Cultural and spiritual considerations
In addition to the pre-op form criteria, make sure.. (9)
- Ensure pt is NPO, meds with sips only
- Patient education (do they understand procedure? post-op exercises; Teaching Moving, Leg Exercises, Deep Breathing, and Coughing, on text pages 1024–1027 in Kozier)
- Psychological support to patient
- Ensure Consent form on chart (surgical, blood)
- Ensure ID band and Allergy band
- Do not shave the area…this done in OR
- Collect patient chart, complete nursing notes and place MAR in chart
- Tell family where to wait
- If needed: start IV, give medication, catheter etc.
True or False?
After a procedure the patient may return directly to your unit without a report.
True!
When the patient arrives from a procedure, what does the nurse have to check?
Check the procedure records for information when the patient arrives.
Post-surgery is different than post-procedure. In post-surgery, the patient will go the ____ until they are stable. The _____ nurse will call with report before the patient arrives on your unit.
PACU (post-anesthesia care unit)
What are you to do upon arrival of pt to nursing care unit? (3)
- Assist with transferring the patient from the stretcher to bed
- Perform head-to-toe assessment, vitals, check IV lines, O2 etc.
- VP COWF - Check the chart for orders:
- Labs, ECGs, X-rays
- Medications
○ Antibiotics, analgesia, antiemetics- check when last given on OR (operating room) or PACU records.
○ All pre-op meds needs to be reordered postop… if not, notify MD
- Restrictions: diet, activity etc.
What does VPCOWF mean?
V- VITAL SIGNS P- PAIN C- CONSCIOUSNESS O- OXYGENATION W- WOUND (DRESSING) F- FLUID BALANCE
How often should the nurse check for vital signs after the procedure/surgery?
- Q15 min x 2, Q30 min x 2, Q1H x 2 then Q4H for 24 hrs
When taking vital signs, what will the nurse watch for? (2)
- Watch for BP and HR changes r/t shock, bleeding
- Watch for RR (resp.rate) changes- decreased in anesthetic reversal or too much analgesia
When assessing for pain for post-op… (3)
- Pain scale with vital signs and ensure pain medication coverage
- Encourage pt to take around the clock if tolerated
C is for CONSCIOUSNESS: What do you mean by assessing for consciousness? (3)
Level of Consciousness, arousability, orientation
O is for OXYGENATION: What do you mean by assessing for consciousness? What would you do of the O2 sats were low?
Oxygen saturations with vital signs, administer O2 if needed
W- WOUND (DRESSING): The nurse must ensure that the wound dressing is ___ and ____.
Dry & Intact
If there is drainage notes in the dressing, what should the nurse do? What should the nurse report/watch out for?
Possibly reinforce, report frank blood.
If there is any drainage, assessments must be done. What assessments?
Assess drains - empty every shift and document, rest & report excess drainage
F is for FLUID BALANCE: What do you mean for fluid balance?
- IV rate and volume (include volume from OR and PACU)
- Check for negative balances
- Ensure urine output is greater than 30 ml/hr
In post-procedure/surgery, ensure urine output is greater than ___ml/hr
30
Although pain and discomfort are expectations following surgery, inadequate ______ is unacceptable.
pain management