Unit 4.1 Perioperative Nursing Care

Risk Factors for Surgery

Age: young - immature physiological status; old - deceased body functioning

Nutrition: tissue repair and resistance to infection requires adequate nutrients

Obesity: reduces respiratory and cardiac functioning, poor wound healing

Immunocompetence: radiation - affects skin tissue/poor healing; chemotherapy - increases risk of infection

Fluid and Electrolyte Imbalances: fluid and electrolytes shift

Preoperative and Postoperative Exercises/Teaching

Deep breathing and coughing - promotes lung expending, performed every 1-2 hours

Leg Exercises - prevents venous status and blood clot, performed every 2 hours when awake

Turning and Mobilization - prevents skin breakdown over bony prominences and muscle atrophy

Eating and Drinking Before Surgery

Heavy meal 8 hours before surgery.

Light meal 6 hours before surgery.

Clear fluids 2 hours before surgery.

Anesthesia

General - loss of all sensations, reflexes, and consciousness.

Regional - loss of sensation to a large area of the body.

Local - loss of sensation to a small area of the body.

Procedural Sedation - depressed level on consciousness, reflexes not lost.

Postoperative Assessment

• ABCs

• Mental Status - awake, orientation

• Surgical Incision Site - dressing, amount of drainage

• Temperature

• IV Fluids - type and rate of solution

• Pain