Posted: August 4th, 2016

Nursing care of a person requiring surgery

Assessment 1: Nursing care of a person requiring surgery
Meet Gill
You will be caring for her today
Shift handover:
Gill is a 63 year old female with osteoarthritis in both hips. She was admitted this morning for an elective total hip replacement (total hip arthroplasty) of her left hip.
Gill has a past history of bilateral hip pain and severe pain in the groin, lateral hips and buttocks. X-rays show bone spurring and severe joint space narrowing in both hips consistent with advanced osteoarthritis. Conservative management has not helped her symptoms and she currently ambulates with a single prong walking stick.
Gill is currently nil by mouth and has intravenous fluids running at maintenance. Her current medications include regular paracetamol, diclofenalac, and prn oxycodone. Medical staff have also prescribed glucosamine and chondroitin as Gill takes these regularly at home.
Prophylactic intravenous antibiotics commenced this morning and are to be continued for 24 hours post operatively. Subcutaneous enoxaparin is to be commenced 4 hours after return to ward if observations and recovery from anaesthesia and surgery are satisfactory.
Gill has a long history of smoking but stopped recently on medical advice in preparation for surgery. She has no other significant medical history and, until recently, has been actively involved in part time work, walking, gardening, and community organizations.
Gill lives alone in a small unit that she owns. Her husband passed away several years ago and she has an adult daughter living overseas and a son and his family living interstate.