Help Please!

medication, positioning....

-Alteration in comfort related to postsurgical pain
GOAL: Patient will report a pain level of 0 to 3 on a scale of 1 to 10

INTERVENTIONS:
a) Will medicate patient with Tylenol 1gm per physician's order for mild to moderate pain (pain scale report of 3 to 5)
b) Will medicate patient with Hydrocodone/APAP 10-325mg for moderate to severe pain (pain scale report of 6 to 10)
c) Will prompt patient to watch television and listen to favorite music via headphones as a form of attention diversion
d) Will encourage frequent visits from family members as a method of attention diversion
e) Will discuss other treatments with patient's attending physician, including heat, cold, and biofeedback.

Provide an extra pillow to use as a brace when coughing.

Warm blankets to be draped across abdomen.

Our med route is different up here. Usually its morphine 2.5-7.5 q3-4hours for 24 hours post op.

It also would depend if it was a lap appi or the full monty involving a gangrenous appendix (incision, JPs).

Some patients come back with PCA meds, so educating about PCA use and monitoring amount and rate requested would be factored in. Usually the chart has instructions with how much the floor can deviate with the dosage on PCAs before calling the gasmen.