This post aims to educate nurses on patient care following an operative procedure to insert a catheter into a vein or artery of the heart. The primary condition is the horizontal position of the patient, who must lie on his back for several hours. The patient, if necessary, should receive analgesics, and he is also allowed not to remain completely immobile to reduce discomfort. The patient’s medical history must be known to the practitioner in advance, and all necessary observations and medical measurements must be made on site. It is also required to find out whether the patient has complications after surgery, including vascular damage, hematomas or infection, in order to prevent negative consequences as soon as possible (Elgazzar and Keshk 104). The patient should be constantly checked on the cardiogram monitor, the puncture from the introduction of the catheter should be observed every half hour, and special analytical attention should be paid to each alarming symptom.
If a hematoma is determined, it is required to check the hematoma for pulse and aneurysms, increase the pressure of the bandage, and in the case of using heparin, cancel the medication. Blood flow can also be stopped by raising the patient’s arm and pushing near the puncture to achieve a blood stop within five minutes. Arrhythmia should be assessed as permanent or a new syndrome for the patient – its presence is determined by the evenness of the sinus wave on the electrocardiogram monitor. It is not a rapidly reversible symptom and requires a doctor’s notice and immediate medical assistance. In the case of a stable condition of the patient, the nurse must conduct an examination and make a cardiogram on their own. The last alarming consequence of the introduction of a cardiovascular catheter may be the accumulation of blood in the retroperitoneal space, in which case the practicing doctor should be immediately notified.
Work Cited
Elgazzar, S. E., & Keshk, L. I. (2018). “Effect of a construction educational protocol on nurses’ knowledge, performance and its effect on patient satisfaction undergoing cardiac catheterization.” International Journal of Advanced Nursing Studies, vol. 7, no.2, pp. 100-106.