Reasons for Surgery and Surgery Risk
Surgery may be performed to diagnose, cure, repair, remove, replace, or relieve symptoms of a health problem.
Reasons surgery is performed
This term refers to nursing care before, during, and after surgery.
Perioperative nursing
This type of anesthesia causes loss of consciousness and sensation for major surgery.
General anesthesia
Confirming the patient’s identity, procedure, consent, and surgical site helps prevent this.
Surgical errors
This sterile team member handles sterile instruments, supplies, and equipment during surgery.
The scrub person
A biopsy is an example of surgery performed for this purpose.
Diagnosis
This phase includes assessment, teaching, consent verification, lab review, and preparing the patient for surgery.
The preoperative phase
This type of anesthesia numbs one area of the body while the patient remains awake or lightly sedated.
Local anesthesia
Marking the correct surgical site and performing a time-out are safety measures used to prevent this.
Wrong-site surgery
This nonsterile nurse coordinates care, documents, obtains supplies, and protects patient safety during surgery.
The circulating nurse
Removal of a diseased appendix or gallbladder is an example of surgery performed for this purpose.
Treatment or cure
This phase begins when the patient enters the operating room and ends when the patient is transferred to recovery.
The intraoperative phase
Spinal, epidural, and nerve blocks are examples of this type of anesthesia.
Regional anesthesia
The nurse may witness this form but does not explain the surgical procedure or risks.
The surgical consent form
Turning, coughing, deep breathing, incentive spirometry, and early ambulation help prevent this postoperative complication.
Atelectasis or pneumonia
Age, poor nutrition, obesity, smoking, diabetes, infection, and chronic illness may increase this.
Surgical risk or risk for postoperative complications
This phase includes monitoring vital signs, pain, airway, bleeding, wound status, and complications after surgery.
The postoperative phase
This type of medication may be given to help the patient relax and decrease anxiety during a procedure.
Sedation
The provider is responsible for explaining the procedure, risks, benefits, and alternatives before the patient signs this.
Informed consent
Leg exercises, sequential compression devices, hydration, and early ambulation help prevent this circulatory complication.
Venous thromboembolism or DVT, or pulmonary embolism
Heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, and uncontrolled diabetes are examples of conditions that may increase this after surgery.
The risk for complications
The nurse’s role throughout perioperative care is to protect safety, provide teaching, reduce anxiety, and monitor for this.
Complications
Smaller incisions, less tissue trauma, less pain, and shorter hospital stays are ways this type of surgery may shorten recovery time.
Robotic or minimally invasive surgery
Listening to fears, answering within scope, providing teaching, encouraging questions, and supporting coping help prepare the patient in this way.
Psychological preparation for surgery
Monitoring the incision, drainage, temperature, pain, redness, swelling, and wound edges helps detect this postoperative complication.
Infection or wound complication