| |
IN RECOVERY
Recovery should be a well staffed, warm, well lit area of the
operating room with oxygen, suction and resuscitation equipment
available to treat complications.
If the patient is restless, something is wrong.
Look out for the following in recovery:
| :: |
Airway
obstruction |
| :: |
Hypoxia |
| :: |
Haemorrhage:
internal or external |
| :: |
Hypotension
and/or hypertension |
| :: |
Postoperative
pain |
| :: |
Shivering,
hypothermia |
| :: |
Vomiting,
aspiration |
| :: |
Falling
on the floor |
| :: |
Residual
narcosis. |
The recovering patient is fit for the ward when:
| :: |
Awake,
opens eyes |
| :: |
Extubated |
| :: |
Blood
pressure and pulse are satisfactory |
| :: |
Can
lift head on command |
| :: |
Not
hypoxic |
| :: |
Breathing
quietly and comfortably |
| :: |
Appropriate
analgesia has been prescribed and is safely established. |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
The
three events that probably contribute most to mortality
in the postoperative period are:
|
 |
 |
Non-running
drip
|
|
|
Postoperative
hypotension
|
|
|
Respiratory
failure.
|
|
|
