Orthopaedic nursing
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Orthopaedic nursing · Nov 2007
Comparative StudyPostoperative benefits of intrathecal injection for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty.
The purpose of the study was to compare postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing total knee replacement via general anesthesia with patients receiving an intrathecal injection for anesthesia. ⋯ The use of an intrathecal injection for pain management changes postoperative nursing care planning and interventions. Improved pain control results in more alert and responsive patients and earlier ambulation. Patient teaching for prevention of complications and self-care postdischarge can begin earlier.
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Published incidence of delirium in orthopaedic patients ranges from 5.1% to 61%. Delirium may present before or after the patient undergoes the surgical procedure and has demonstrated increased risk, including mortality. Yet, delirium goes unrecognized by both physicians and nurses. This article focuses on the literature on delirium in the orthopaedic patient, including incidence, how to identify those patients at risk, patient outcomes, nonpharmacological and pharmacological interventions, and provides an example of how one tertiary care hospital implemented a prevention and management program of delirium in orthopaedic patients.