Comprehensive Overview of Postoperative Care in Tonsillectomy Patients

The document outlines various nursing responsibilities and considerations following a tonsillectomy under general anesthesia. It includes an emphasis on monitoring vital signs such as temperature, pulse rate, respiration, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation levels to identify any postoperative complications like increased body temperature or restlessness in patients, which may indicate discomfort or infection. Additionally, it discusses the importance of assessing patient consciousness through eye-opening scores and other clinical assessments to determine the level of awareness and comfort. The assignment emphasizes the need for nurses to provide appropriate interventions such as ensuring proper rest and contacting medical professionals when necessary. It also includes a case study involving a patient named Irene who exhibited postoperative symptoms, prompting specific nursing responses and further clinical evaluations.

Assessment Guide
Unit of competency:
HLTENN011 - Implement and monitor care for a person
with acute health problems

 Website reference:
 Healthline. (n.d.). Health Topics. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/directory/topics?
ref=global
 Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Health Library. Retrieved from
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/adult
 Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Tests and Procedures. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-
procedures
 Web MD. (n.d.). Common Topics. Retrieved from
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/common-topics
 Etcetera.
 INFORMIT database
Evidence submission:
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 You must answer questions fully and accurately while keeping within the requirements of word limits.

Knowledge questions
Part A – Short-answer questions:
11 The following table identifies examples of acute disease states and illnesses requiring complex nursing
interventions. Complete the table defining each of these acute health problems and provide three (3)
specific clinical manifestations of each of these conditions.
Acute health problems Definition/what is it? Three (3) specific clinical
manifestations
a. Acute kidney failure It is an acute medical disease in
which the renal tract and kidneys fail
to perform, leading to adverse
impact on other organs and bodily
functions.
 Vomiting
 Weight loss
 Anemia
b. Acute
glomerulonephritis
It is a kidney disease that causes
the swelling in glomeruli in kidneys
causing excess pain and kidney
damage.
 Pink or cola colored
urine with red blood
cells
 Foamy urine
 High blood pressure
c. Gastroenteritis It is a microbial disease caused by
viruses and leads to excess pain
and swelling in gastro intestinal
tract.
 Lack of energy and
apatite
 Abdominal pain
 Diarrhea
d. Acute pancreatitis It is a sudden inflammation in
pancreas caused due to heavy
alcohol or drugs use.
 High level of fat in
blood
 Internal Bleeding
 Diarrhea
e. Seizure It is a momentary loss of awareness
that causes the uncontrollable
jerking movements caused due to
high body temperature, low blood
sugar and over consumption of
alcohol, reducing brain activity.
 Jerking of limbs
 Smacking of lips
 Impaired breathing
f. Transient ischemic
attack
It is a neural dysfunction caused
due to loss of blood flow in brain
and causes severe tissue death. It
may also lead to strokes.
 Numbness in body
organs
 Paralysis
 Weakness and
inability to speak
g. Angina It is a condition of severe chest pain
or pressure, caused due to lack of
proper blood supply to heart
muscles.
 Deprivation of oxygen
 Abnormal heart
rhythms
 Heart failure
h. Myocardial infarction Also known as heart attack, caused  Abnormal breathing

Acute health problems Definition/what is it? Three (3) specific clinical
manifestations
due to decrease or loss of blood
flow in heart region, causing failure
of heart muscles. In chronic cases,
it can lead to paralysis or death.
and heart activity
 Tiredness
 Nausea
i. Vasovagal syncope It is the loss of consciousness
caused due to vision of blood, pain,
emotional stress or prolong standing
under stressful condition.
 Lightheadedness
 Ringing in ears
 Inability to speak
j. Allergic rhinitis It is an allergic condition which
causes the inflammation in the
nasal cavity, caused due to
exposure to allergens.
 Frontal headaches
 Excessive sneezing
 Nasal congestion
k. Acute bronchitis It is a respiratory tract disease
caused in lungs, caused due to viral
infection and exposure to other
pollutants or direct contact with
infected person.
 Shortness of breath
 Excess coughing with
mucus
 Chest pain and
discomfort
l. First degree burns on
skin
It is a type of burns that is caused
on the top layer of skin. It is the
mildest form of burns that causes
redness in skin and pain.
 Swelling around
affected area
 Redness in skin
 Sensation of pain
m. Airway burns It is the condition of burning in air
tact caused due to exposure to fire
smoke or hot body in vicinity, or
corrosive gases and fumes.
 Harsh cough
 Burns of face and
nasal lining
 Soot in saliva, nose
and mouth
n. Cellulitis It is a bacterial infection that causes
the redness and increase in fat
tissue size for few days. In severe
cases, blood vessels may be
impacted.
 Swelling in limbs
 Breaks in skin
 High fever
o. Dehydration It is a medical condition that is
caused due to excessive loss of
body fluids and causes the
decrease in physical water level.
 Severe diarrhea
 Lower water volume in
body
 Impact on lungs and
bladders
p. Epistaxis Also, known as nosebleed, it is a
condition caused due to rupturing of
blood vessel in nostrils and flowing
of blood. It is caused due to high
body temperature or impact on
nose.
 Bleeding from nostrils
 Bleeding from eyes
and ears in severe
cases
 Nausea and vomiting
q. Cerebral haemorrhage It is the form of internal bleeding  Headaches

Acute health problems Definition/what is it? Three (3) specific clinical
manifestations
caused in brain tissues that impact
the neural system of body.
 Loss of consciousness
 Stiffness in neck and
face
r. Traumatic brain injury It is a brain injury caused due to fall,
vehicle collision or violence, causing
excessive Cerebral bleeding, skull
fracture and in severe cases
disability or death.
 Paralysis
 Loss of mental and
physical ability
 Death
s. Renal calculi Also known as kidney stone, caused
due to excess composition of
calcium or phosphate salt in urinary
tract, leading to formation of crystals
in kidneys or bladder.
 Abdominal pain
 Loss of weight and
apatite
 Blood in urine
t. Sepsis It is an immune system disorder,
which can be dangerous if not
treated on time. It is caused due to
body's resistance response to a
drug that may lead to multiple organ
failure.
 Loss of organ
functioning
 Insufficient flow of
blood
 Decrease in heart rate
and blood pressure
u. Cardiogenic shock It is a medical condition when heart
fails to pump enough blood to meet
body's requirements.
 Rapid breathing
 Weak pulse
 Sweating
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory11 Briefly describe the characteristics of acute pain (in 60 – 90 words).
Acute pain is caused due to inflammation and tissue damage caused due to injury or disease. It may
last for few minutes to few days, fading or increasing based on healing measures followed. It is a response of
body to stop the cause of pain and need to be treated. It gets resolved if treated well and on time.
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory11 Briefly describe the key difference between deep vein thrombosis and venous thromboembolism (in 30 –
60 words).
Deep vein thrombosis Venous thromboembolism
It is a condition that leads to the formation of
blood clots in deep veins, usually in legs due to
prolong sitting or lying. The clots are static and
causes a pool of blood in an organ.
It is a condition when blood clots flow in blood
stream and stuck at a vein, causing disruption in
blood flow. This causes the loss of blood supply
to an organ and may damage the tissues.

Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory11 Briefly describe four (4) common symptoms of a bone fracture.
Common symptom of bone fracture are
 Swelling of bruising over the bone.
 Inability to use the organ.
 Excessive pain
 Deformity and loss of functioning
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory11 Briefly describe the key difference between greenstick and impacted fractures (in 40 - 70 words).
Greenstick fractures Impacted fractures
It is a fracture which causes the loss in continuity
of the bone structure however, the outer shell of
bone remains intact. It is generally found in kids
that can be recovered very easily.
It is a fracture where the bone is visibly broken in
one or more parts. The fragmented bones take
longer time to heal.
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory

11 List three (3) key principles of surgical nursing.
The three key principles of surgical nursing are:
 Providing proper care to the patient, underwent the surgery.
 Keeping a check ad monitoring the health condition of a patient in pre and post-surgical
phase.
 Maintaining the proper medication and health care standards.
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory11 Briefly describe the key difference between elective surgery and emergency surgery (in 70 – 100 words).
Elective surgery is a pre scheduled surgery that is not immediate for the patient while the
emergency surgery is a procedure that involves the surgery performed to prevent something life
threatening and further damage.
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory11 Briefly describe the key difference between general, local and epidural anaesthesia (in 50 – 80 words).
General anaesthesia involves the complete loss of consciousness and is been given through inhalation and
intravenous mediums.
Local anaesthesia consist of making a small region of organ to be operated and the person is not required
to made unconscious.
Epidural anaesthesia is a medication given post surgery to make the person sleep or relax from pain
(Drummond and et.al, 2015).
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory11 Briefly describe the key difference between spinal anaesthesia and peripheral nerve block (in 50 – 80
words).
Spinal anaesthesia is a medication process that involves the making of certain tissues of the infected organ
to be numb and lose sensation, in order to get operated. While, the peripheral nerve block is a diagnostic
measure which involve the infiltration of painful area in order to mitigate the sensation of pain (Betancourt
and et.al, 2016).
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory

111 Define the following surgical interventions and briefly describe the surgical procedures involved in each of
them.
a. Open reduction (in 40 – 70 words)
It is a surgical process that is been followed to stabilize and heal a broken bone. In
this, the surgeon will realign and place the pieces of broken bone surgically in order
to get the bones back in proper shape (Boulware and et.al, 2016).
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory
b. Amputation (in 50 – 80 words)
It is the process of removal of a limb due to accident, trauma or medical illness. This included the
removal of infected organ surgically to prevent further organ damage and gangrene. It is been
followed under the preventive surgery to help in saving the life of a person.
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory
c. Total hip replacement (in 50 – 80 words)
It involves the removal of hip joint that is been damaged in an accident or due to a disease like
arthritis. It involves the acetabular or femoral reconstruction. The hip is dislocated and is been placed in a
refurnished hip joints (Stoddart and Evans, 2017).
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory
d. Craniotomy (in 50 – 80 words)
It is a neurosurgical process that involves the temporary removal of small part of skull bone. It is been
followed in order to treat a number of brain diseases and neurological conditions. It involves the factors like
location on skull and size of opening.
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory

e. Tonsillectomy (in 50 – 80 words)
It is the surgical process that involves the removal of palatine tonsils from the side of pharynx and tonsiller
fossa. It is been followed to cure sleep apnea, snoring and nasal obstruction. This process included the
removal of secretions from tonsils getting accumulated at Larynx, impacting voice (National Center for
Health Statistics (US, 2016).
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory

f. Appendectomy (in 50 – 80 words)
It is a surgical process, that is been followed to remove the inflammation in appendix, causing pain
and vomiting. The surgery helps in removal of the blockage in hollow portion or inflamed lymphoid tissue
causing blockage in intestinal tract.
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory
g. Laparotomy (in 50 – 80 words)
It is a surgical process followed to identify the health issues in abdomen and organs there. The
general anaesthesia is been given and incision in made in abdomen to identify the problem related to an
organ ( Duckett and Willcox, 2015).
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory
h. Hysterectomy (in 40 – 70 words)
This surgical process is been followed by a gynecologist, involving the removal of cervix, ovaries,
Fallopian tubes and other structures. It is followed to reduce the effect of ovarian and cervical cancer in
women's.
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory
i. Prostatectomy (in 50 – 80 words)
This surgical process is been followed to prevent the risk of pelvic or prostate cancer by removal of
prostate gland. It also involves the removal of seminal vesicles and vas defrens in case of malignant cancer
(Ginter, Duncan and Swayne, 2018).
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory
j. Cataract extraction (in 50 – 80 words)
It involves the surgical removal of cataract from the eyes.

Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory

111 Briefly describe the characteristics of internal bleeding due to trauma and its management (in 150 – 200
words).
Internal bleeding is the condition caused due to rupture of veins within the body. It is managed by proper
draining of blood to prevent organ damage.
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory
111 Outline five (5) key considerations when monitoring and managing a person on intravenous infusion via
peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)/midline/central venous catheter (CVC).
 Appropriate use of IVD's
 Only competent staff must be allowed to use it.
 Environmental risk must be controlled.
 Proper sterilization to be followed.
 Patient preparation and post process to be handled with skill.
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory
111 Outline five (5) key considerations when monitoring and managing a person on continuous positive airway
pressure (CPAP).
 Therapies to be started as per the medical orders.
 Proper monitoring of bio metrics to be followed.
 Consequences of process are required to be analyzed.
 Hygiene should be managed.
 Proper nutrition is required to be provided to patent during CPAP.
Satisfactory Not Yet Satisfactory
111 Outline five (5) key considerations when monitoring and managing a person on Bilevel positive airway
pressure (BiPAP).
 Proper and hygienic environment should be maintained.
 Proper measurement of respiration should be followed.
 Titration process to be managed with skills
 Proper medication to be followed in case of sleep apnea.
 Medical guidelines are required to be followed.