REFLECTIVE ESSAY

Postoperative Care of the Specialist Patient: Reflective Essay

Postoperative Care of the Specialist Patient: Reflective Essay

Introduction

Postoperative care generally refers to the management of a patient after surgery. This includes the care provided to them during the immediate postoperative period as well as during the days that follow the surgery. The purpose of such care is to prevent complication from arising, to promote healing and to bring the patient to a state of health. This mainly includes assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention and outcome evaluation. The care in this regard varies depending on the health of the patient, the kind of surgery or the context in which the surgery is conducted. This reflective essay on the clinical practices experience demonstrating the evidence based development in relation to the learning in the unit.

Reflection

As a practitioner there are various times in the postoperative care environment when it is required from us to exhibit specialist knowledge and the ability to respond rapidly to situations. Postoperative recovery is dependent on a considerable extent to the kind of care that is provided to the patients. This time can be divided into three phases, i.e. early, intermediate and late recovery. The first of the three phases starts from the discontinuation of the anaesthesia to the time when the patient is able to recover their reflexes (the post anaesthesia stage). The intermediate phase is the time since regaining of these functions to the time of discharge from the hospital and the final stage begins from this time to the time when the patient is able to regain their health and wellbeing (Alvin et.al. 2007, p.2). In all these phases there is a requirement of providing adequate care so that the health of the patient is regained in the shortest possible time after the surgery.

The postoperative post-anaesthesia stage is the immediate postoperative period which requires special care and it is the time in which timely management and recognition of issues saves lives, time and money. The most common complications in the post anaesthesia care unit are postoperative nausea and vomiting, upper airway problems, hypotension, dysrhythmias, hypertension, altered mental status and suspected or major cardiac arrest (Glick, 2013).

There are many surgical procedures that I have come across in my practice and each has different demands in terms of the postoperative care. Each requires a different understanding of the patient's requirements and the way they need to be cared for. Tonsillectomy is one such surgical procedure that requires special postoperative care from the practitioners for the successful recovery of the patient. Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed while it is more common in children especially the age group of children from one to 18 years.

In general, after the surgical procedure, for anaesthesia reversal usually the patient is transferred to the PACU (Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit). The time for which the patient is kept there and the care that is provided to them is dependent on the type of surgery and the patient's level of ...