Reflection on the Removal of Active Surgical Drainage Tube

Running head: REFLECTION ON THE REMOVAL OF SURGICAL DRAINAGE TUBE 1
Reflection on the Removal of Active Surgical Drainage Tube
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

REFLECTION ON THE REMOVAL OF SURGICAL DRAINAGE TUBE 2
Description
I was required to remove an active surgical drainage tube from a patient after surgery.
Before that, I was to identify the indication and the appropriateness of the procedure. I then
recognized the correct patient for the procedure. I developed a therapeutic relationship with the
patient by introducing myself and explaining the method of removing the surgical drainage tube.
Therapeutic relationship improves the quality of medication towards the patient (Pazargadi,
Fereidooni Moghadam, Fallahi Khoshknab, Alijani Renani, & Molazem, 2015). I gathered the
necessary equipment for the procedure and ensured an appropriate administration of analgesia. I
proceeded to position the patient appropriately and performed the five moments of hand hygiene.
I then put on the non-sterile gloves, released the suction set up, and removed the dressing.
I cleaned the region around the drainage with 70% alcohol before removing the Drainage tube. I
then dressed the site using appropriate and sterile techniques. Afterward, I cleaned, replaced, and
disposed of the drainage tube. I then documented the relevant information about the entire
process in the hospital computer. I then assessed the outcome and recorded my findings.
Feelings
During the process of removing the surgical Drainage tube, I fell short of confidence and
was nervous in the early stages. However, I realized that the procedure removes blood and other
tissue fluids that can gather at the surgical site. Failure to remove the Drainage tube can result in
other infections (Dougherty, & Lister, 2015). I also felt that I had to apply the appropriate aseptic
technique when removing the dressing. As an RN, I have to uphold hygiene at all times to ensure
that my patient is safe from contamination. I also thought that I had to follow the procedure to
end up with desirable outcomes. Therefore, I was careful when removing the drainage and
dressing the surgical site. Every nurse should master the skill of removing a surgical drainage

REFLECTION ON THE REMOVAL OF SURGICAL DRAINAGE TUBE 3
tube; since the technique is applicable worldwide (Crisp, Douglas, Rebeiro, & Waters, 2016).
Therefore, it was essential that I regain the confidence to ensure that the procedure is a success. I
carried out a thorough assessment of the patient, a move that impressed my supervisor.
Evaluation
Successful removal of active surgical drainage tube is a procedure that every nurse
should master. During my experience, a majority of the processes went well apart from a few. I
identified the correct patient and also succeeded in building a therapeutic relationship. I was also
successful in gathering the required equipment and performing the five hand hygiene. I also
succeeded in injecting the patient with the analgesia. Furthermore, I successfully released the
suction set-up during the procedure. Releasing the suction minimizes the chances of tissue
damage during the removal of the drainage (Christelis et al., 2015). The removal of the Drainage
tube and dressing the area went as I had planned. The cleaning of the site using 70% alcohol was
successful as medical attention proceeded. The cleansing of the site keeps it away from bacterial
or viral infections (Conti, Katzap, Poli‐de‐Figueiredo, Pagnussatti, & Figueiredo, 2018).
Additionally, the cleaning makes the suture visible easing its removal. However, documenting
the information on the entire procedure did not go as I had planned. The power outage occurred
when I was almost through with entering the information on the computer. However, apart from
the power blackout, the other procedures went well. The hospital should have a power back-up to
ensure complete documentation of activities in the hospital.
Analysis
When focusing at my experience, I acknowledged the essence of observing the correct
guidelines and procedures during the drainage removal. Recent research has indicated that
caregivers should understand and successfully perform the post-operative process to ensure