Ms. Melody King presented to the Emergency department with 2-3 days of severe Right Lower Quadrant abdominal pain, which required emergency laparoscopic surgery for removal of a ruptured appendix. She has a past medical history of asthma and depression, with her current prescribed and compliant medications list which includes Ventolin, Seretide, Sertraline. Melody’s observations were as follows:
- BP 95/45mmHg
- HR 120
- Temp 38.3°Celcius
- RR 22/min and shallow
- SpO2 95% on room air
She complained of increasing nausea and centralised abdominal pain 7-8 on a scale of 0 to10. Physical assessment showed a distended abdomen and generalised abdominal guarding. To investigate her condition further, pathology results reveal a raised white blood cell (WBC) count and CRP. You are the RN caring for Melody post-operatively on the surgical ward.
