title: Observations and vital signs: ritual or vital for the monitoring of postoperative patients?
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Tce, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia. kzeitz@mail.rah.sa.gov.au
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zeitz
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McCutcheon
mesh_terms: 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