Postoperative Care: Key Nursing Interventions

Preoperative teaching reduces patient anxiety and promotes recovery.

A certified medical interpreter should be used when obtaining surgical consent from a patient who speaks limited English to ensure they understand the procedure and risks.

Assessing airway and breathing are the priority when a patient arrives in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).

Oxygen saturation of 89% on room air requires immediate intervention postoperatively.

Shortness of breath and chest pain are the most concerning postoperative complication after abdominal surgery as they may indicate pulmonary embolism.

The surgeon is responsible for explaining the procedure and obtaining informed consent.

Encouraging deep breathing and use of an incentive spirometer is the most appropriate nursing intervention for a postoperative patient at risk for atelectasis because it prevents lung collapse and improves oxygenation.

Early ambulation best prevents postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) by promoting circulation and preventing blood clot formation.

Nausea, vomiting, and absent bowel sounds in a postoperative patient suggests paralytic ileus, which is a temporary loss of bowel motility.

Redness and warmth at the incision 24 hours after surgery suggests localized infection.

When a patient smokes cigarettes, this creates the highest risk for poor wound healing after surgery due to reduced oxygen delivery to tissues.

Administering prescribed pain medication is the first action when a postoperative patient reports pain at a 6/10, because effective pain management promotes healing and allows for early mobility.

Document the finding and monitor the patient when noticing serosanguineous drainage (pink, watery fluid) on a patient's surgical dressing. This type of drainage is expected in the early healing process.

A 40-year-old who smokes is at greatest risk for respiratory complications, because smoking impairs lung function and increases mucus production

Educate the patient to splint the incision when coughing, as this reduces stress on sutures and prevents wound dehiscence. Splinting, involves holding a pillow against the incision.