Nursing Management
Preoperatively and postoperatively, nursing care is directed toward promoting
patient comfort, preventing complications, and assisting the patient to return to
and maintain as normal and comfortable a life as possible. The nurse closely monitors the patient in the intensive care unit after surgery;
the patient will have multiple intravenous and arterial lines in place for fluid
and blood replacement as well as for monitoring arterial pressures, and is on a
mechanical ventilator in the immediate postoperative period. It is important to
give careful attention to changes in vital signs, arterial blood gases and
pressures, pulse oximetry, laboratory values,and urine output. The nurse must
also consider the patient‘s compromised nutritional status and risk for
bleeding.Promoting Home and Community-Based Care,
Teaching Patients Self-Care. Continuing Care.