Nurses gut feeling????

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Just wanted to see if nurses that deal with surgery patients can explain how they know when an infection might be starting in the surgical site? Nurses Gut feeling? Smell? Redness? Copius drainage? What are some of the things you notice first? How long after surgery do you notice it? Is it immediate within 24 hours or longer? Are patients being prescribed antibiotics after surgery? Who does the first dressing change nurse or surgeon? What kind of surgeries are you seeing with infections?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
Just wanted to see if nurses that deal with surgery patients can explain how they know when an infection might be starting in the surgical site? Nurses Gut feeling? Smell? Redness? Copius drainage? What are some of the things you notice first? How long after surgery do you notice it? Is it immediate within 24 hours or longer? Are patients being prescribed antibiotics after surgery? Who does the first dressing change nurse or surgeon? What kind of surgeries are you seeing with infections?

Curious as to why you're asking. Copious drainage, smell & redness are all documentable signs of infection and do not involve "gut feelings" in any way.

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Sounds like a homework question. But I think you are getting at what is actually seen and when vs what is listed in a textbook.

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Just seeing if there is anything I might be missing. I work in a trauma unit and with trauma it is hard to tell sometimes if it is because of the trauma or if it is an infection starting. Traumas are usually dirty so didn't know if there is something else to help differentiate. It is interesting to me that even with some of our trauma patients they don't continue antibiotics. Usually only three doses. Is this normal practice? Sometimes my gut tells me this is going to be a bad outcome but didn't know how to explain it to a newer nurse any suggestions? It is hard to explain gut feelings to a new grad. I told her all the signs to watch for but sometimes you forget so that is why I am asking.

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Just training a new nurse and want to make sure I cover the important stuff. It is hard to explain gut feeling any thoughts?

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It might be beneficial to avoid teaching a new nurse anything about "gut feeling". I think I know what you mean by gut feeling in nursing, but that's something that comes with time, experience, and seeing MANY patients, ones who may not present with typical signs and symptoms of a specific condition and still have that condition. Better to stick with the basics for a new nurse, and let the "gut" develop with time. Help her (or him) develop those assessment skills, learn to connect the dots with lab values etc. Just my two cents. í ½í¸‰

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It might be beneficial to avoid teaching a new nurse anything about "gut feeling". I think I know what you mean by gut feeling in nursing, but that's something that comes with time, experience, and seeing MANY patients, ones who may not present with typical signs and symptoms of a specific condition and still have that condition. Better to stick with the basics for a new nurse, and let the "gut" develop with time. Help her (or him) develop those assessment skills, learn to connect the dots with lab values etc. Just my two cents. :yes:

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Didn't mean to post twice. Tried to edit it, but no go. Still learning the ropes.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
It might be beneficial to avoid teaching a new nurse anything about "gut feeling".������

I sort'a agree -- but not totally. I teach newer nurses to be sensitive to their gut feelings and to take them seriously -- but NOT to act on them without further investigation. For example, I tell them that when they get those gut feelings, they should do a more thorough assessment ... or keep a close eye on the patient ... or talk to a more experienced nurse and ask her to take a look at the patient and give her opinion.

In short ... don't ignore the gut feeling ... but don't do anything to the patient until you have confirmed your suspicion with more concrete evidence and/or expert opinion.

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I sort'a agree -- but not totally. I teach newer nurses to be sensitive to their gut feelings and to take them seriously -- but NOT to act on them without further investigation. For example, I tell them that when they get those gut feelings, they should do a more thorough assessment ... or keep a close eye on the patient ... or talk to a more experienced nurse and ask her to take a look at the patient and give her opinion.

In short ... don't ignore the gut feeling ... but don't do anything to the patient until you have confirmed your suspicion with more concrete evidence and/or expert opinion.

Great point...totally agree.

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

Puncture wounds and cat bites almost always get infected. Not a gut feeling, just science and experience.

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