Term
| Cardiac medication in pre-op patients |
|
Definition
Cardiac medication is used to decrease contractility of heart and reduce conduction.
these may be held for the operative period because heart rate is maintained with medications during surgery.
anti-hypertension drugs may be held prior to |
|
|
Term
| Anticoagulent medications |
|
Definition
Patient is commonly on these as a daily anti-coagulent:
- aspirin
- clavix
- coumadin - reversed with Vitamin K
During surgery, patients may be taken off of the above medications and switched to:
heparin - because it is quickly reversed with Protamine sulfate |
|
|
Term
| Anticonvulsants as pre-op medication |
|
Definition
| patients prone to seizures may need to continue their anticonvulsive medication to prevent incidents of seizure during surgery. |
|
|
Term
| Antibiotics affect on surgical patients |
|
Definition
some antibiotics such as erythromyacin combined with anesthesia may result in respiratory depression.
These may need to be held prior to surgery. |
|
|
Term
| corticosteriods in surgical patients |
|
Definition
| corticosteroids should not be stopped quickly per-operative, must be tapered off slowly. |
|
|
Term
| Opioids can be reversed with what drug? |
|
Definition
| Narcan (naloxone hydrochloride) is an opioid antagonist. |
|
|
Term
| What antagonist is used to reverse the effects of benzodiazepines? |
|
Definition
| benzodiazepines sedative effects are reversed with romazicon |
|
|
Term
| What factors make a patient more prone to anesthesia awakening? |
|
Definition
Factors in risk for anesthesia awakening include:
- a history of anesthesia awakening
- cesarean surgery
- trauma
- Pt. is a chronic opioid user
- cardiac surgery |
|
|
Term
| What signs of Malignant Hyperthermia might a patient exhibit during surgery or port-op? |
|
Definition
Malignant Hyperthermia is a rare life-threatening autosomal disorder that is 40% fatal.
signs include:
- hyperthermia
- tachycardia
- tachypnea
- heart beat irregularities |
|
|
Term
| What action should a nurse take when she suspects malignant hyperthermia? |
|
Definition
| When signs of malignant hyperthermia present, an IV push of Dantrolene should be administered at 2.5mg/kg. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
The Aldrete score assesses level of consciousness, respiratory status, circulatory status, pain, and nausea in post-op patients.
It is a 1-10 checklist
A patient with a score of less than 8 must not be discharged. |
|
|
Term
| The first this a nurse should do when receiving a from the PACU? |
|
Definition
Obtain vital signs of all patients immediately upon arrival from the PACU.
- every 15 minutes hour 1
- every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours
- every hour for 4 hours
- finally every 4 hours. |
|
|
Term
| In addition to taking frequent vital signs, what is one of the most important steps in assessing a post-operative patient? |
|
Definition
When receiving a patient from PACU, a nurse should check:
- dressings for color, odor,
- prescence of drains and amount of drainage.
- Assess for bleeding at site. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
a surgery that is pre-planned and based on the patient's choice and schedule of surgeon and facility.
- facelift
- tonsillectomy
- hernia repair
- mommoplasty |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
an emergency surgery must be done immediately to preserve life, a body part, or function.
- surgery to repair severe trauma
- control hemorrhage
- intestinal obstruction |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
An urgent surgery must be done within a reasonably short time frame to preserve health, but is not an emergency.
- gallbladder removal
- removal of malignant tumor
- amputation |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
a nerve block is an injection of a local anesthetic around a nerve trunk supplying the area of surgery to block pain.
often jaw, face, or extremities |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
A spinal anesthesia is an injection of local anesthetic into the subarachnoid space (the interval between the arachnoid membrane and pia mater) through a lumbar puncture.
Spinal anesthesia causes sensory, motor, and autonomic blockage. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Caudal anesthesia is an injection of local anesthetic into the epidural space through the caudal canal in the sacrum. Used for procedures on the lower extremities or perineum.
[image]
Injection is much lower on the spine than for an epidural |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
An epidural is an injection of anesthetic through the intervetebral spaces, usually in the lumbar region (though it may also be used in the thoracis or cervical spaces.)
[image] |
|
|
Term
| What are potential surgical complications caused by cardiovascular disease? |
|
Definition
Cardiovascular disease in surgical patients increases the risk for:
- hemmorhage
- hypovolemic shock
- hypotension
- venous stasis
- thrombophlebitis
- over-hydration with IV fluids. |
|
|
Term
| What are potential surgical complications caused by respiratory diseases? |
|
Definition
Disorders such as pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, and COPD increase the risk in surgery for:
- respiratory depression from anesthesia (anesthesia is eliminated from the body through the lung so compromised ventilation will slow the rate or anesthesia elimination.
- postoperative pneumonia
- atelectasis
- alterations in acid/base balance
- |
|
|
Term
| What are potential surgical complications caused by kidney and liver disease? |
|
Definition
Surgical patients with kidney and liver disease are at increased risk for:
- altered response to anesthesia
- fluid, electrolyte and pH imbalance
- altered metabolism and excretion of drugs.
- impaired wound healing. |
|
|
Term
| What are potential surgical complications caused by endocrine disease? |
|
Definition
Surgical patients with endocrine disease - especially diabetes mellitus - have increased risk for:
- hypoglycemia
- acidosis
- slow wound healing
- potential postoperative cardiovascular complications |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An embolis is a blood clot or foreign substance that is dislodged and travels through the bloodstream until it lodges in a smaller vessel. |
|
|
