Role of an AGACNP in Post-Operative Care Discussion Paper

Role of an AGACNP in Post-Operative Care Discussion Paper

Role of an AGACNP in Post-Operative Care Discussion Paper

Role of an AGACNP in Post-Operative Care Discussion Sample

Role of an AGACNP in Post-Operative Care.

Their role in post-operative care for surgical patients starts in the post-operative care unit (PACU) then to their admission in the inpatient unit, during discharge and even in the outpatient clinic when they come back for follow up. I n the PACU an AGACNP monitors a patient’s level of consciousness and administers medication as prescribed. In the inpatient unit the practitioner writes the admission orders which give an insight into the patients’ pain management and other medications prescribed by the surgeon. AGACNPs are also expected to be part of inpatient rounds and discharge the patient. During follow up the are expected to monitor the incision sites for any infections and order for post-operative tests and images.

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Assessment Steps.

Firstly, I would assess the airways, breathing and circulation (ABC) of the patient. The vital signs will also be helpful will assessing ABC. I would asses the incision site for any leakages and the chest tube noting the amount of fluid drained, its consistency and its color. Inspect, palpate , percuss and auscultate the chest of the patient to rule out accumulation of fluid in the chest and to check for the breath sounds(Squires, 2022).

Drainage and Decompression Devices.

Chest drains or under water seal drains consists of a water seal, suction control and a drainage control chamber. The main aim of a chest drain is to remove air or fluid from the pleural cavity without backflow of air or fluid. The chest drain chamber should be checked often and drained once its ¾ full. The suction control should also be monitored for any signs of blockage and the tube should not kink to avoid formation of clots.

Differential Diagnoses and Hemodynamic Findings.

The patient could be having a hemothorax which is bleeding into the chest cavity or atelectasis or lung collapse(Thorpe et al., 2020). A hemothorax patent will present with signs of hypovolemic shock which include tachycardia, weak pulses and hypotension. They might also have cold extremities and signs of hypoperfusion. Atelectasis will give low oxygen saturation.

Treatment Plan

Chest radiograph to rule out the source of bleeding in the chest cavity is important. Take blood for grouping and cross matching, complete blood count and fix two wide bore canula. Administer crystalloids and monitor vital signs, input output chart and use the multi-disciplinary approach once the source of bleeding has been established.

References.

Squires, E. (2022). Assessment and examination of the respiratory system. Practice Nursing, 33(1), 18–24. https://doi.org/10.12968/pnur.2022.33.1.18

Thorpe, A., Rodrigues, J., Kavanagh, J., Batchelor, T., & Lyen, S. (2020). Postoperative complications of pulmonary resection. Clinical Radiology, 75(11), 876.e1-876.e15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crad.2020.05.006

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please respond to DQ question in full minimum 250 words not including sources thank you

You are part of a surgical team and your role is postoperative management of thoracic surgery. In your role, you are required to determine the course of action for the patient before you call the surgeon. A right lower-lobe resection occurred due to adenocarcinoma. The nurse has called at the 12-hour interval from surgery concerned with the amount of drainage within the chest tube. Respond to the following and support your summary and recommendations plan with a minimum of two APRN-approved scholarly resources.

Describe the role of an AGACNP at each of the steps in postoperative care for a surgical patient.

Describe the assessment steps you would take.

Explain the drainage and decompression devices and how you manage these as an AGACNP.

Discuss potential differential diagnoses you could expect from the assessment.

Discuss the hemodynamic findings one might see with your provided diagnosis.

Propose potential treatment plans that would be appropriate.