1. General Surgical Nursing Contact:
Kirsten Rud
EPS
General surgical nursing describes the
mail: krud@rh.dk
procedures general to all operations – In general
on fast-track surgery and patient perspectives Dorthe Hjort Jakobsen
plus areas such as: Prevention and observation,
mail:dorthe.hjort@rh.dk
including smoking and alcohol habits, safety
Unit of Perioperative Nursing Care
procedures, patient positioning, fast and
Clinical guideline
nutrition, fluid intake, Anticoagulant therapy, www.periopnursing.dk
skin/ wound care as well as sleep and rest.
Telephone: 3545 7317 / 7308
Date: 01.01.07.
General Surgical
For more information on background and
Nursing
references: www. Periopnursing.dk /
General Surgical Nursing
Unit of Perioperative Nursing Care
Fast-track surgery
Unit of
Perioperative Nursing Care
2006

2. Skin/ Wound care
Preoperatively Sleep and Rest
Prevention and Observation
• Inspection of the surgical area for wounds
Sleep is important for the rehabilitation
and scars before the operation
Smoking and alcohol
• Smoking: Stop 8 weeks before surgery
• Make sure that the patient’s habits/
Perioperatively
• Alcohol: Stop 4 weeks before surgery
• Shaving, if necessary, only by cutter wishes are met
•
• Preoperative bath (evening or morning – If necessary offer sleeping pill
Safety procedure
•
ordinary soap) Talk to the patient about worries that
• Reception of patient in operation theatre
• surgical area and navel has to be keeps the patient from sleeping
• Identification of the patient
•
disinfected at the operation theatre with Avoid unnecessary noise such as
suitable disinfectant, must dry up in loud talk
Fast/ nutrition
•
between Avoid unnecessary wakening of the
• Fast for 6 hours and no fluid for 2 hours
• The skin has to be cleaned for iodine with patient, particularly early in the
preop
a spirit swab after suturing morning
• If necessary, hand out ear plugs
patient positioning
Postoperatively
• Prevent pressure symptom and
• The bandage can be removed 24 hours
hypothermia
postop if the wound is dry.
• The bandage must be changed if it is
Fluid treatment
moist, loose or contaminated
• Balance the amounts of fluid
• Shower is allowed 24 hours postop if the
wound is dry.
Amusement
• Ask it the patient want to listen to music
After discharge
during the operation
• Avoid the sun at the wound for ½ year
• Use high sun factor as long as the
Anticoagulant therapy
cicatrice is red
• Anticoagulant therapy depends on the
• Avoid perfumed soaps
condition of the patient and the surgical
• Use cream to soften the scar
procedure
• Avoid smoking and other nicotine’s
substances such as plasters, chewing gum
Postoperatively
– during the 4 first weeks after the
• Usual surgical observation
surgery