The nurses role in the positioning of the patient perioperatively under general anaesthetic.

C beful patient positioning is an art and a recognition that affects patient safety and outcomes (Gruendemann and Fernsebner 1995, p.388). This statement could not be truer just in the age of advancing medicine and technology rudimentary nursing skills such as perioperative patient positioning are gaining more emphasis from nurses as the medical profession disregards their importance. In this dissertation, the author will re-emphasise the significance of safe and careful positioning of the patient under general anaesthetic. What are the physiologic effects of general anaesthesia? Is the nursing assessment actually that central in the safety of the patient intraoperatively? Also several(prenominal) positions utilized intraoperatively will be examined.

Anaesthesia has its origins from the early 19th degree Celsius but these days it is a far cry from when they utilize alcohol and opium to intoxicate the patient during surgical procedures where analgesia and vigor rest period were needed (Meeker and Rothrock, 1999) These days new anaesthetic drugs have change the safety profile of anaesthesia, however, problems with General anaesthesia (GA) which is defined as loss of consciousness and sensation, skeletal muscle relaxation, analgesia, and elimination of the somatic, autonomic, and endocrine gland responses, including coughing, gagging, vomiting, and sympathetic responsiveness (Lewis, Heitkemper and Dirsken, 2000) have changed focus.



Physiological changes, which military issue from GA, are vasodilation causing reduced perfusion possibly resulting in hypercarbia or hypoxia of the tissues, bronchodilation, depressed pain and pressure receptors. Loss of tone causes muscle relaxation, which is the bodys defence mechanism to protect against joint damage, muscle laden and strain and nerve impulse blockage can result in postoperative discomfort sometimes due to everywhere flexion of limbs. The bodys normal defence is shut down when GA is employed, it is therefore indwelling that the perioperative nurse is familiar and educated with the bodys normal limitations in inn to act as the...

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