A patient has just returned to the ward after abdominal surgery. Which action should the nurse take first to evaluate the effectiveness of respiratory interventions in the immediate postoperative period?
Assess the patient’s oxygen saturation and respiratory rate
After abdominal surgery, anaesthesia, opioids and incisional pain cause shallow breathing, so the patient is at risk of hypoventilation, atelectasis and hypoxaemia.
The direct way to judge whether respiratory interventions (oxygen, positioning, deep breathing) are working is to assess oxygen saturation (SpO2) and the respiratory rate, depth and pattern — this follows the airway–breathing priority.
Checking the dressing, medication chart and urine output are important postoperative tasks but do not evaluate respiratory status.
Hence, Assess the patient’s oxygen saturation and respiratory rate.
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Important Questions from Medical-Surgical Nursing
In a patient with a normal temperature and pulse but low blood pressure, which clinical condition should be considered first?
When caring for a patient with hypocalcemia, which symptom should the nurse closely observe?
A patient with a peptic ulcer is prescribed a proton pump inhibitor and advised to avoid NSAIDs. Which rationale best explains this combined approach?
A post operative patient is receiving dextrose 5% and 0.45 normal saline at 160 ml/hour. The nurse notices puffiness, weight gain of 2 kg and hypotension with complaints of muscle cramps and confusion. The serum sodium level is 126 mEq/L. Which of the following is the most likely cause of these findings?
A nurse encounters four patients after a mass casualty event. Who should be given the highest triage priority?
