NURS 287 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Deep Vein Thrombosis, Compression Stockings, Hypervolemia
28 Apr 2013
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Lecture 12: potential problems in the clinical unit. Common causes of respiratory problems are atelectasis and pneumonia, especially after abdominal and thoracic surgery. Deep breathing is encouraged to facilitate gas exchange. The patient should be encouraged to breathe deeply 10 times every hour while awake. The patient"s position should be changed every 1 to 2 hours to allow full chest expansion and to increase perfusion of both lungs. Ambulation, not just sitting in a chair, should be aggressively carried out as soon as physician approval is given. Postoperative fluid and electrolyte imbalances are contributing factors to cardiovascular problems. Fluid overload may occur when iv fluids are administered too rapidly, when chronic (e. g. , cardiac, renal) disease exists, or when the patient is an older adult. Syncope (fainting) may occur as a result of decreased cardiac output, fluid deficits, or defects in cerebral perfusion. An accurate intake and output record should be kept, and laboratory findings (e. g. , electrolytes, hematocrit) should be monitored.
