Caring For Surgical Patients

Collapse of the aveoli of the lungs; a common respiratory complication following surgery

Surgery that is done when the person's medical problem is known and the best way to address it is through surgery

Adjective used to describe a surgical procedure that is planned for and scheduled ahead of time

Adjective used to describe surgery that must be performed immediately to prevent the person from dying or becoming disabled

Surgery that is performed when a person has a significant medical problem but the doctors do not know exactly how bad the problem is or what is causing it

A loss of consciousness brought on by the administration of a combination of inhaled and injected drugs

One of three phases of care for a person who is having surgery; the phase during which the surgery is actually performed

A loss of sensation in only a very small part of the body brought on by the injection of drugs

The term used to describe all three phases of the surgical process as a whole -- the pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative phases

The recovery room where patients are taken following surgery so that they can be closely monitored by the health care team to make sure that they are recovering without complications from the surgery or the anesthesia

One of three phases of care for a person who is having surgery; the phase after the surgery is actually performed

One of three phases of care for a person who is having surgery; the phase before the surgery is actually performed

Teaching done by the members of the health care team to prepare a person and his or her family members for surgery, during pre-operative teaching, the person learns about the surgical procedure, its benefits and possible risks, and what can be expected during the post-operative recovery period

A loss of sensation in part, but not all, of the body brought on by the injection of drugs

A device that is applied to the calves to help prevent pooling of blood in the lower legs; often used following surgery to prevent cardiovascular complications

Adjective used to describe surgery that is planned and scheduled ahead of time, but must be done as soon as possible to prevent the person's condition from getting worse