The first few weeks following a major surgery are always crucial. During this time, you’ll likely have to deal with mild to severe pain, discomfort, and even emotional distress. You might even have difficulties carrying on with your usual day-to-day tasks. Thus, to help you during these difficult times, you need guidance and support, which in this case only a nurse can provide.
Let’s break down some of the most important reasons as to why you need 24/7 nursing surveillance following a major surgery.
Monitoring Vital Signs
One of the primary reasons why constant nursing supervision is crucial after a major surgery is the continuous monitoring of vital signs. These vital signs provide crucial insights regarding the state of your body’s overall health and inform medical professionals how stable you are. Any sudden changes or abnormalities in these indicators can indicate complications or adverse reactions to medications.
A trained nurse can monitor your vital signs round-the-clock, providing immediate intervention if any deviations from the normal range are detected. Such real-time monitoring helps ensure that doctors can identify any sort of issues with your health and address them accordingly. This, in turn, helps you avoid further complications in your health.
Medication Management
Post-surgery, you will be prescribed a variety of medications to manage pain, prevent infection, and address other specific needs related to your procedure. Proper medication management is crucial for your recovery, as taking the right dose on time is essential to alleviate pain and prevent complications.
Constant nursing supervision ensures that you receive your medications on schedule. Nurses can also monitor for any adverse reactions or interactions between different medications, adjusting your treatment plan if necessary.
When in nursing school, nursing clinical rotations are common practice for students. In fact, any good nursing program will ensure that its students gain clinical experience by working clinical shifts across various healthcare settings.
According to Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, these nursing school programs pay extra attention to clinical rotations involving medication management. Thus, as a patient, rest assured that your designated nurse has the skills and clinical experience necessary to cater to your medication needs.
Pain Management
Acute pain after any sort of surgery is very common. In fact, you can say that it’s part of the post-operative experience. That being said, you don’t necessarily have to live through the pain no matter how natural it may be. That’s where the need for effective pain management comes in.
Effective pain management ensures your comfort and overall well-being throughout the post-surgery recovery period. Nurses play a crucial role in assessing your pain levels. They ensure that you receive the appropriate pain relief medications and monitor your response to these treatments. Constant nursing supervision allows for timely adjustments to your pain management plan based on your individual needs.
Besides, you can also expect your nurse to provide non-pharmacological pain management techniques. These may include things like positioning and relaxation exercises which complement medication-based approaches. Such a personalized approach to pain management ensures that you can recover more comfortably and efficiently.
Early Detection of Complications
No matter how well the surgeon performs the surgery, complications are always a possibility. According to WebMD, these complications can range from infections and blood clots to respiratory issues. Early detection of these complications is an absolute must, otherwise, you might have to deal with severe health problems.
Nurses are trained to identify the early signs of potential health complications. The moment they detect these signs, these professionals will take immediate action. If needed, they will alert the necessary medical team or healthcare professional or even order diagnostic tests. Their prompt action might even protect you from further health problems or even death.
Emotional Support and Patient Education
Recovering from a major surgery can be physically and emotionally taxing. You’re likely going to experience a range of emotions. Everything from anxiety and fear to straight-up frustration will hit you, often all at once. Besides, according to Psychology Today, you might even experience mild to severe symptoms of depression after your surgery.
With a nurse by your side providing emotional support, dealing with these difficult times becomes somewhat easier. Their compassion, reassurance, and encouragement will help you feel better.
On top of that, nurses can explain your treatment plan and guide you through post-operative care. They can also help you learn various self-care and pain management techniques.
Conclusion
With a nurse by your side, navigating the above-mentioned challenges after a major surgery will become less difficult for you. Constant nursing surveillance, at least the first two or three weeks, might even help you recover faster. If nothing else, their presence will at least be comforting to you, as they will always be with you whenever you need them.
