The time before surgery is important since it’s when you need to make sure the proper operation is performed. This is also the time when you want to ensure that the patient doesn’t have any allergies and that they are comfortable with the procedure. After surgery, there is a checklist of tasks that can make it easier to ensure that each patient goes home comfortably and with the proper amount of care.
Vital Signs
A component of a post-op checklist is checking the vital signs of each patient. These numbers might be a little abnormal until the anesthesia wears off, but you shouldn’t notice any drastic changes. If you do notice vital signs that are too high or too low, it could indicate an infection, a blood clot, or other issues that need to be addressed.
Neurology
You want to make sure each patient has a proper neurological response after surgery. This means that reflexes should be intact as well as eye movements and other movements in the body. This is usually checked in the first few hours after surgery and then right before each patient goes home.
Pain
When looking at a post-op checklist, you need to check off the pain level for each patient. Most patients will be comfortable because of the anesthesia and medications given before and during surgery. However, you want to ensure that patients have a prescription for pain medication or the proper IV medications if they will stay in the hospital overnight.
