13.Give an example of how the following factors
may present a greater surgical risk for some
patients.
a.Developmental considerations:
b.Medical history:
c.Medications:
d.Previous surgery:
e.Perceptions and knowledge of surgery:
f.Lifestyle:
g.Nutrition:
h.Use of alcohol, illicit drugs, nicotine:
i.Activities of daily living:
j.Occupation:
k.Coping patterns:
l.Support systems:
m.Sociocultural needs:
14.Explain what a nurse in the PACU would
assess when checking a patient in the postop-
erative phase using the following guidelines.
a.Vital signs:
b.Color and temperature of skin:
c. Level of consciousness:
d. Intravenous fluids:
e. Surgical site:
f. Other tubes:
g. Pain management:
h. Position and safety:
i. Comfort:
15.Give an example of two nursing interventions
you would institute for a postoperative patient
to help alleviate the following problems that
interfere with comfort.
a.Nausea and vomiting:
b.Thirst:
c. Hiccups:
d.Surgical pain:
APPLYING YOUR KNOWLEDGE
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
1.Prepare a preoperative assessment for the
patients described below. Develop a nursing
care plan for each patient based on the data
collected. Be sure to include preoperative care,
intraoperative care, and postoperative care in
your planning.
a.A 52-year-old man who smokes a pack of cig-
arettes a day is scheduled to undergo heart
bypass surgery. The patient is overweight
and says he rarely finds time to exercise.
184 UNIT VI ACTIONS BASIC TO NURSING CARE
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