Observation In Nursing Care

Mr Brown has now come out of surgery at 9:00pm and will be under the care of the night shift nursing staff on the ward. First priority is to asses Mr Brown’s condition to ensure he is stable and comfortable. Hospital policy should be employed in regard to frequency of observations typical every quarter to half hour depending on his condition. Observations should include the ADDS chart (BP, pulse, temperature, pain and others) moreover because of Mr Brown’s COPD, special attention should be given to his respiratory rate, breathing sounds and his O2 Saturation to prevent any critical situations occurring due to COPD (Walker, 2012). Furthermore because of Mr Browns COPD, his oxygen flow rate via nasal prongs may need to be altered accordingly

The removal of the drain may be painful for Mr Brown so an oral analgesic beforehand may be nessasariy, a gauze dressing should also be applied if the site is oozing (Durai, & Ng, 2010). Mr Brown will likely be using a catheter or a urine bottle during his first 24 hours, this is so he will not have to be moved unnecessarily and so his fluid out take can be easily measured. When appropriate, Mr Brown should be encouraged to exorcise his left leg to prevent blood pooling in the leg and venous thromboembolism (Lucas, 2008). Leg and foot exorcises will include rotating, extending the ankle and flexion (Walker, 2012). The RN will support and inform Mr Brown during these exorcises, also instruct him on which activities he can and cannot partake in. If Mr Brown is able the physiotherapists may provide specific exorcises and asses Mr Browns condition for mobility aid such as walkers or assistance (Walker, 2012). Mr Brown, having just had surgery may be feeling anxious or uncomfortable psychologically during his first 24 hours out of surgery. The RN should remedy this by ensuring he is comfortable and relaxed, moreover encouraging contact with family members and friends will aid his emotional state (The Australian Psychological Society,