Perioperative Nursing Care Management Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture on perioperative nursing care and management.

Surgery

Branch of medicine that treats diseases or trauma through operative procedures.

Perioperative Period

The entire surgical experience encompassing pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative phases.

Perioperative Nursing

Nursing activities that occur in any or all phases of the perioperative period.

Preoperative Phase

Time from the surgical decision until the patient is transferred to the operating room table.

Intraoperative Phase

Time from transfer onto the operating table until admission to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).

Postoperative Phase

Begins with admission to PACU and ends after follow-up evaluation in a clinical setting or home.

Combining Vowel

Usually the letter “o”; links a word root to a suffix for easier pronunciation.

lapar-

Word root meaning abdomen.

cysto-

Word root meaning bladder.

angio-

Word root meaning blood vessel.

mast- / mammo-

Word roots meaning breast.

salping-

Word root meaning fallopian tube.

cholecysto-

Word root meaning gallbladder.

cardio-

Word root meaning heart.

nephro-

Word root meaning kidney.

rhino- / nas-

Word roots meaning nose.

oophoro-

Word root meaning ovary.

cranio-

Word root meaning skull.

gastro-

Word root meaning stomach.

orchio- / orchid-

Word roots meaning testicle.

hystero-

Word root meaning uterus.

colpo-

Word root meaning vagina.

-centesis

Surgical puncture to remove fluid, e.g., amniocentesis.

-ectomy

Surgical removal of a part, e.g., appendectomy.

-graphy

Process of recording or imaging, e.g., angiography.

-lysis

Separation, destruction, or loosening, e.g., adhesiolysis.

-orrhaphy

Surgical repair or suturing, e.g., colporrhaphy.

-oscopy

Direct visualization with a scope, e.g., cystoscopy.

-ostomy

Surgically created opening to allow drainage, e.g., colostomy.

-otomy

Incision into an organ, e.g., tracheotomy.

-pexy

Surgical fixation, e.g., orchiopexy.

-plasty

Plastic or reconstructive surgery, e.g., rhinoplasty.

-tome

Instrument for cutting, e.g., dermatome.

-tripsy

Crushing, e.g., lithotripsy.

Obstruction (Surgical Pathology)

Blockage that prevents normal flow, often requiring operative correction.

Perforation

Rupture creating a hole in an organ, necessitating emergency surgery.

Erosion

Gradual wearing away of tissue leading to surgical intervention.

Tumor

Abnormal growth; benign or malignant masses may need excision.

Diagnostic Surgery

Procedure performed to establish the presence of disease, e.g., biopsy.

Reparative Surgery

Procedure to determine and repair the extent of damage, e.g., multiple wound repair.

Curative (Ablative) Surgery

Excision of a diseased organ or tissue to eliminate disease, e.g., cholecystectomy.

Reconstructive Surgery

Restores appearance or function after trauma or disease, e.g., skin graft after burns.

Constructive Surgery

Corrects congenital defects to improve function/appearance, e.g., cleft-palate repair.

Palliative Surgery

Relieves symptoms without curing disease, e.g., gastrostomy tube insertion.

Minor Surgery

Brief, low-risk procedure with few complications, e.g., skin biopsy.

Major Surgery

Extensive, prolonged, high-risk procedure, e.g., nephrectomy.

Emergency Surgery

Immediate operation to preserve life or function, e.g., ruptured aneurysm repair.

Urgent (Imperative) Surgery

Operation needed within 24–48 h, e.g., obstructing kidney stones.

Planned/Required Surgery

Necessary for health but can be scheduled weeks ahead, e.g., cataract removal.

Elective Surgery

Optional procedure not essential for survival, e.g., simple hernia repair.

Optional Surgery

Patient-requested, primarily aesthetic, e.g., face-lift.

Day (Ambulatory) Surgery

Same-day, outpatient surgical procedure, e.g., cyst excision.

Surgical Stress Response

Physiologic reaction to surgery involving endocrine, metabolic, and immune changes.

Informed Consent

Voluntary, written authorization allowing a surgeon to perform a described procedure.

Criteria for Valid Consent

Consent must be voluntary, informed, competent, comprehended, and signed before sedation.

Surgeon’s Role in Consent

Explains diagnosis, procedure, risks, benefits, and alternatives to the patient.

Nurse’s Role in Consent

Acts as advocate, ensures understanding, assesses competence, and witnesses signature.

Goals of Preoperative Nursing

Assist client through surgery, correct physiologic problems, promote positive outcomes and optimal function.

Preoperative Anxiety

Feeling of apprehension or fear related to upcoming surgery; may show pacing, insomnia, tachycardia.

Deep Breathing & Coughing Exercises

Techniques taught pre-op to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications such as pneumonia.

NPO

Nothing by mouth; fasting guideline to reduce risk of aspiration during anesthesia.

Bowel Preparation

Use of cathartics or enemas before abdominal/pelvic surgery to clear intestines.

Skin Preparation

Cleaning and, if needed, hair removal at surgical site to reduce infection risk.

Preoperative Checklist

Document verifying completion of all required assessments and preparations before surgery.

Pre-anesthetic Medication

Drugs administered just before surgery to reduce anxiety, secretions, pain, or nausea.

Benzodiazepines (Pre-op)

Sedatives such as midazolam used to reduce anxiety preoperatively.

Opioids (Pre-op)

Analgesics like morphine given for pain control before surgery.

Antiemetics

Medications, e.g., metoclopramide, to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting.

Anticholinergics (Pre-op)

Agents like atropine that decrease oral and respiratory secretions.

Barbiturates

Sedatives such as pentobarbital used for preoperative sedation.

H2 Receptor Blockers

Drugs like ranitidine that lower gastric acidity to reduce aspiration risk.

Antibiotic Prophylaxis

Pre-op administration of antibiotics, e.g., cefazolin, to prevent surgical site infection.

ASA Fasting Recommendations

Guidelines specifying minimum nil-per-os times: 2 h clear fluids, 4 h breast milk, 6 h light meal, 8 h fatty meal.