Nursing Interventions Applied to Dora Doherty

This paper will scrutinize two independent nursing interventions applied in the case of Mrs. Dora Doherty who was admitted to the ICU surgical ward. More attention will be given to the priority problems suffered by the patient, since Dora is one-day post operation, therefore experiencing severe pain. The paper will also identify the rationale of the specific interventions based on their effectiveness in the patient’s presented problem. The paper will then assess the particular interventions and their ability to lead to the realization of the determined health care outcome based on evidence. The final section of this paper, conclusion, will summarize the entire paper’s content.

Person Centred Goal: Management of Dora’s post-operative pain and enhance his wound effective healing

Nursing Intervention 1: Pain Management

Rationale: Pain management helps in the realization of effective healing and recovery from the problem leading to the patient’s surgery, dysmenorrhea and chronic lower pelvic pain.

Evaluation 1 - Dora’s wound will heal quickly

Evaluation 2 - Dora will effectively recover from his health condition

Evidence to justify the intervention and why it is appropriate for the intervention:

Pain management and regular assessment of the pain management practices are vital in ensuring effective pain control in post-operative cases. Effective treatment and management of pain makes a recovery possible and helps in reducing the patient’s period of healing, as well as the length of stay in the hospital. Besides, as emphasized that, adequate pain relief after the operation is necessary because it improves the outcomes from the undergone surgery and improves the patient’s safety of getting healed effectively. According to the argument put forth by Chou et al., (2016), pain control helps in improving the patient’s functionality and the ability to do his or her things, therefore the minimization of being dependent on other people. Besides, effective management of pain makes a patient develop comfort and the feeling of being able to achieve the treatment-based goals. As identified by Chou et al., (2016) pain management in post-operative issues prevent the unnecessary sufferings of the patient based on the associated postoperative complications. Through successful pain management, it becomes possible for the patient to improve his or her independence, mood, self-care, and quality of life. The quickened recovery which is enhanced through pain management helps in the reduction of the cost of treatment. Once the pain is in control, the patient becomes satisfied with the acquired care and personal well-being. As asserted by He et al., (2015), through pain management, it becomes possible for the patient to respond positively to the received treatment. Slatyer, Williams, and Michael, (2015) articulate that effective management of post-operative pain enables the patient to develop some satisfaction with the care delivered by the nurses and physicians.

Nonetheless, patient’s satisfaction leads to the helpfulness of the acquired treatment. Gordon et al., (2016) identify that pain is highly associated with the patient’s satisfaction. Therefore effective pain management results in the client’s improved level of satisfaction.

The standards of post-operative pain management enable nurses to assess their work, as being sufficient or not. As postulated by Gordon et al., (2016), the quality of care offered to a patient during the process of controlling the post-operative pain reflects on the patient’s response to the general health care process. Through effective post-operative pain management, a patient experiences earlier mobilization and reduced cardiac and pulmonary complications. Given that the main goals for the management of post-operative pain are; to enhance recovery process, prevent complications, and reduce discomfort, the accomplishment of all these goals reflects towards the provision of quality health care. Indeed, successful post-operative pain control demonstrates the hospital staffs’ concern for the particular patient.

Nursing Intervention 2: Emotional support

Rationale: The practice makes the patient feel valued, cared, and loved, therefore being positive about her health condition.

Evaluation 1 - Dora will effectively enhance the patient’s satisfaction with the treatment process

Evaluation 2 - Dora will be able to adapt the changes associated with the post-operative recovery process, therefore effective healing

Evidence to justify the intervention and why this evaluation is appropriate for the intervention:

Emotional support is one of the postoperative aids that need to be provided by the healthcare professionals and families to the patient. As identified by Slatyer, Williams, and Michael, (2015), emotional help is necessary for the patient to adapt to the new life situation after having gone through the surgery process. It is clear that many patients develop anxiety after going through the operation and this is likely to affect their recovery, quality of life, stay in the hospital, and the general treatment outcomes. Besides, Chou et al., (2016) argue that through social support, it becomes possible for a patient to go through the healing process effectively and to develop satisfaction with the provided care.

The majority of patients who go through surgery happen to experience anxiety, thus the feeling of discomfort (Slatyer, Williams, & Michael, 2015). This feeling influences their general health and their certainty concerning the future, and fear of death. However, according to Chou et al., (2016), the formation of rapport between the caregivers and families, and the patient help in eliminating the possible anxiety. The emotional support acquired enables the patient’s capacity to go through the recovery process effectively and focus on gaining good health (Gordon et al., 2016). Indeed, emotional support helps in reducing the post-operative patient anxiety; hence, the realization of the determined treatment outcomes.

Conclusion

Dora is a patient who went through surgery and is one day after the operation; different interventions were needed to enhance her healing. Among the major interventions needs are pain management and emotional support. Through pain management, it will be possible for Dora to recover quickly, develop satisfaction from the delivered health care, and improve the quality of her life. Also, pain management would assist in reducing her period of hospital stay and reduce the treatment costs. Emotional support would be needed given that patients tend to develop post-operative anxiety, which influences their attitude towards life and the general healing process. By getting emotional support, Dora will recover quickly and improve her independence.

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References

Chieng, Y. J. S., Chan, W. C. S., Klainin‐Yobas, P., & He, H. G. (2014). Perioperative anxiety and postoperative pain in children and adolescents undergoing elective surgical procedures: a quantitative systematic review. Journal of advanced nursing, 70(2), 243-255.

Chou, R., Gordon, D. B., de Leon-Casasola, O. A., Rosenberg, J. M., Bickler, S., Brennan, T., ... & Griffith, S. (2016). Management of Postoperative Pain: a clinical practice guideline from the American pain society, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ committee on regional anesthesia, executive committee, and administrative council. The Journal of Pain, 17(2), 131-157.

Gordon, D. B., de Leon-Casasola, O. A., Wu, C. L., Sluka, K. A., Brennan, T. J., & Chou, R. (2016). Research gaps in practice guidelines for acute postoperative pain management in adults: findings from a review of the evidence for an American Pain Society Clinical Practice Guideline. The Journal of Pain, 17(2), 158-166.

He, H. G., Zhu, L., Chan, S. W. C., Liam, J. L. W., Li, H. C. W., Ko, S. S., ... & Wang, W. (2015). Therapeutic play intervention on children’s perioperative anxiety, negative emotional manifestation, and postoperative pain: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of advanced nursing, 71(5), 1032-1043.

Slatyer, S., Williams, A. M., & Michael, R. (2015). Seeking empowerment to comfort patients in severe pain: A grounded theory study of the nurse’s perspective. International journal of nursing studies, 52(1), 229-239.