You are a nurse on a surgical ward on an afternoon shift and have been assigned the below patients. Choose ONE of the below patients and complete the following tasks for the patient. (word counts are a guide only)
- Describe in detail how you will prepare for your patient’s return to the ward postoperatively. (200 words)
- Describe the care requirements for the first four hours of the postoperative period once they arrive on the ward. Address the following aspects of care (these can be used as headings):
a) Considerations for patient assessment and how that assessment will be documented (200 words)
b) Two possible complications that may occur in the postoperative period and the nursing management of these complications (nursing management should be within the scope of practice of an RN).(500 words)
c) Briefly describe what education you will provide your patient and/or their family about the procedure, their care until discharge and health considerations after discharge (300 words).
- All sections of your paper should be supported by current, peer reviewed evidence cited using APA style. Please avoid using direct quotes, you should paraphrase sources wherever possible.
- All academic papers should include an introduction and a conclusion(150 words each).
- Please read and follow the rubric for the assessment – it provides great detail about what is expected in the assignment.
Case Studies:
1. Demelza Smith is 56,has had an emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy on the afternoon theatre list. Past history of hypertension, GORD and migraines.
She will return to the ward with Hartmans solution running at 125mls/hr.
She is written up for tramadol and panadeine forte, ondansetron in addition to her her usual medications of ranitidine, captopril and atorvastatin.
2. Mohammed Ahmad is 60, and has had a split thickness skin graft following a full thickness burn to his right hand (due to a workplace injury, he is a chef in his own restaurant). He has a history of asthma, chronic back pain and depression.
He will return to the ward with Nacl running at 167mls/hr.
He is written up for a morphine PCA (patient controlled analgesia) strict paracetamol, ibuprofen, ondansetron in addition to his usual medications of candesartan and ecitalopram and gabapentin.
3. Gerald Jaworski is 72, usually lives in a supported care facility with his wife. He is to undergo a total knee replacement. He has a history of benign prostatic hypertrophy and well controlled hypertension.
He will return to the ward with NaCl running at 85ml/hr. He has a urinary catheter insitu.
He is written up for a morphine infusion, paracetamol, silodosin, ramipril and ural.
