Pre- and post- operative assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Pre- and post- operative assessment - Essay Example Health care needs in US communities are increasing, as is the demand for quality, cost-effective health care. (Barnett, 2005). Nursing personnel are more and more associated with helping the patients and medical practitioners now, and they have a crucial role to play in disease management and intervention. Laparotomy is a diagnostic procedure used to assess disease in the abdomen. One of the more frequent reasons for a laparotomy is to determine the extent cancer has spread. It is also used for acute situations in which the cause of the problem is unknown but the location is within the abdomen. Examples include perforated bowel, ectopic (outside the womb) pregnancy , endometriosis , appendicitis , bleeding, and inflammation of the pancreas. If the diagnosis made that laparotomy is amenable to further surgery, it is often done immediately. (Brigham and Women's Hospital 2006). Pre-operative assessment aims to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with surgery, prevent unnecessary cancellations, and minimize hospital stay. It benefits the nursing personnel as well as health practitioners to identify potential problems and develop a plan to prepare patients to a pre-surgical level of functioning to eliminate further surgical complications. It is a "very effective method for eliminating costly and unnecessary 'screening' investigations (Thomas, 2006). In the instant case, the i... (Brigham and Women's Hospital 2006). Pre-operative assessment aims to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with surgery, prevent unnecessary cancellations, and minimize hospital stay. It benefits the nursing personnel as well as health practitioners to identify potential problems and develop a plan to prepare patients to a pre-surgical level of functioning to eliminate further surgical complications. It is a "very effective method for eliminating costly and unnecessary 'screening' investigations (Thomas, 2006). In the instant case, the issues that need to be discussed at the pre-operative stage would be with regard to any special pre-operative program needed for Mrs. Maxshall and the estimated time for surgery, and time for recovery and convalescence. Since the patient is suffering from Osteoarthritis and remained a continuous smoker, performance of the lungs and heart needs to be monitored very closely. The aspect of anemia also requires to be taken into consideration. The advantages of utilizing the pre-admission clinic should be in terms of lower hospital stay and a better preparation, planning, and management of the surgery. The pre-admission also takes care of necessary tests and investigations for management of the operation. This also ensures that there is no delay for surgery upon admission, since it often happens that disadvantaged patients my get long date for surgery. Disadvantages of pre-admission clinic would be attributed to delay in diagnosis and initiating clinical/surgical procedures. If the patient develops abnormal symptoms after the investigations are carried out, but before being sent to the operating theater, the hospital stay also will be prolonged. In this case history the patient

PRACTISE STUDY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

PRACTISE STUDY - Essay Example These activities of Imagine Mental Health stem from its belief that by supporting people with mental health problems it is possible to enable them to do what they want to do, live their lives as they want to live and access those opportunities that are available to all citizens, in short to lead a full and independent life (Imagine). Governmental support for these activities is available through the government social exclusion action plan. This action plan became a reality in September 2006, when the department of health and the department of work and pension initiated it to encourage social activities and employment for those suffering from severe mental health. The social exclusion action plan is envisaged as a programme that will involve the participation of the public sector, the private sector and the voluntary organization. As a voluntary organization with similar objectives as the social exclusion plan, Imagine Mental Health is associated with this effort of the government (Re aching Out: An Action Plan on Social Exclusion). The company operates through the mainstream service by enabling clients who have been socially excluded to reclaim their place back in the mainstream of society. The company is staffed by bridge builders, who have a background, and specialist expertise, in a number of life domains that the clients can choose to access. These domains include employment, volunteering, education and training, sports and leisure, art, cultural communities, faith and spirituality, and homes, families, neighbourhoods and befriending (Life Opportunities). As a social work student undergoing placement with Imagine, I have been given the role of employment, education and training bridge builder and also to support other bridge builders to attain the primary objectives of the clients. I have to be creative and have good networking skills to fulfil my responsibilities. I also support clients as their first contact point at Imagine for assessment and