Discharge planning
For discharge, it is necessary to brief the patient on how to take the prescribed medications outlined in the schedule, follow-up appointment at the hospital. Considering that Ann had just been operated on, it was also appropriate to include family or friends to brief them on matters such as mobility and toileting issues related to the patient (Francis 2011, p. 8).
A new trend is for nurses to use technology to keep in touch with patients (Stanhope & Lancaster 2014, p. 404). In this case, the patient or her family members should maintain contact with nurses via cell phones or email to help them adhere to the post–colorectal cancer healthcare plan. In this way, the patient can also report any unusual experience during
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(2013, p.12) emphasised the importance of nursing care for patients after hemicolectomy to promote rapid recovery and quicker discharge from the hospital. They reported that the greatest postoperative complication for hemicolectomy patients is pain management; postoperative patients therefore require scheduled pain management to control severe pain and pain intensity. This may involve both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, as non-pharmacological have been reported to increase the efficacy of pharmacological pain management interventions. Isaacson et al. (2013, p.12) recommended massage, repositioning, ensuring a calm environment and allowing the patient to listen to music.
Isaacson et al. (2013, p.12) reported that hemicolectomy patients face the risk of infection at the surgical site. Nurses should not remove the surgical dressing before 24–48 hours post-surgery. Moreover, the surgical site should be kept dry and clean after removal of the dressing.
The authors also mentioned that postoperative patients might have activity intolerance. In this case, cancer may have emotionally weakened the patient. Therefore, adequate rest should be allowed for the patient to recover and to prevent fatigue. In addition, nurses should educate the patient to empower her to engage in self-care. The nurse should arrange follow-up visits at the time of