Assessment 2 Nick Norris

Assessment 2 Nick Norris

Practice standards and guidelines are the basis for providing a consistent, high standard of care for the patient who is undergoing surgery. Practice standards are developed by professional organizations that set the expectations and responsibilities of professional nursing standards. These are subject to ongoing assessment that reinforce as to reflect the current best practice (American Nurses Association, 2008).

Between the flags is an adult observation chart. It is designed for early detection of a patient's deterioration. This is a standard observation chart and is one of several charts staff are required to complete. The object of this chart is to detect the deterioration of the patient and to evaluate the patient's condition. If a patient falls in the yellow zone clinical staff initiates treatment, and consult nurses and midwifes as to any changes in the patient's condition. These assessments are conducted by nurses and doctors and the patients care plans are reviewed. If the patient falls in the red zone, a rapid response is immediately initiated with advanced life support skills to resuscitate the patient, whatever may be the cause for the deterioration in the patient's condition (www.cec.health.nsw.gov.au).

Pre- procedure preparation toolkit is designed to enhance the patients care and the outcome of surgery. The aim of this tool is ensure that the expectations of the carer, the patient, the referring surgeon or procedural and the anaesthetist are all met. The pre-procedure preparation toolkit looks at nursing preparation medical condition. It helps in the preparation for anaesthesia, surgery or procedure, and recovery, sub-specialty and allied health preparation as well as the type of medications the patient is taking, for example, anti inflammatory medication (ibuprofen) and anti inflammatory gel (voltaren) (health service performance improvement branch (Pre-Procedure Preparation Toolkit, 2012)

Every adult inpatient should be subjected to baseline assessments and should also be conducted in a particular time frame. Respiratory rate, oxygen saturation level of consciousness, temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and blood glucose should be taken one hour of admission (Singer, Falwell, 2009).

Baseline assessment are carried out to prevent potential problems for the patient this is an important part of healthcare and is focused on all aspects of safety towards the patient when conducting this assessment nurses look for any change in the patient's condition and addresses those changes medical officers (Singer, 2009). Base line assessment should be carried out post operative as well as preoperatively.

Once the patient is returned to the ward postoperative assessments are carried out to reduce the affects of postoperative vomiting and nausea. This is distressing for the patient but is common after operative procedures which require general anaesthesia. Postoperative nausea and vomiting may prolong recovery time and increase hospital stay. It is recommended that fasting should commence 8 hours to help elevate postoperative nausea and vomiting after surgery (Monti, Pokomy, 2002).

Nutritional assessment's are performed in hospital. this looks at the patient's baseline height and weight. The nurse asks question about the patient's appetite, usual diet, food preferences, recent weight loss ...