Observations and vital signs: ritual or vital for the monitoring of postoperative patients?
Patient surveillance during the postoperative period has traditionally consisted of the collection of routine and regulated vital signs, supported by observations of other aspects of a patient's recovery. The purpose of this research was to determine if the frequent collection of postoperative vital signs assisted in detecting postoperative complications in the first 24 hours after a patient has returned to the ward setting. The study involved: (1) a survey of policy documents; (2) observations of postoperative nursing care; and (3) an audit of medical records. Major findings revealed that vital signs are collected based on tradition and are collected routinely, and there may not be a relationship between vital-signs collection and the occurrence or detection of complications.
Zeitz
Kathryn
K
Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Tce, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia. kzeitz@mail.rah.sa.gov.au
McCutcheon
Helen
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002562:Ceremonial Behavior; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing*; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D019370:Observation; D016134:Organizational Policy; D013527:Perioperative Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control; D013021:South Australia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors