[Surgery for children and adolescents. Post-operative phase]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Surgical Care
• Healthcare Models

Context:

• The post-operative phase is the critical final stage of the surgical process for children and adolescents.
• This phase spans from recovery room admission to hospital discharge, encompassing inpatient and home care.
• Standardized nursing interventions are essential for managing pediatric surgical recovery effectively.

Purpose:

• To propose a standardized nursing care model for the post-operative phase in pediatric patients.
• To identify and emphasize key Gordon Functional Health Patterns relevant to post-operative care.
• To select frequently occurring NANDA-accepted nursing diagnoses for this patient population.

Summary:

• The model focuses on the perception-management, nutritional-metabolic, elimination, exercise-activity, and cognitive-perception health patterns.
• Key considerations include vigilance in early post-operative hours, parenteral nutrition (PN) or total parenteral nutrition (TPN), and age-appropriate pain assessment.
• Utilizes NANDA-accepted nursing diagnoses to guide care planning and intervention.

Impact:

• Aims to improve the quality and consistency of nursing care for pediatric surgical patients.
• Provides a framework for evidence-based practice in post-operative pediatric nursing.
• Facilitates better patient outcomes through structured and targeted nursing interventions.