Surgical care nurses out there...

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Hello!

I am about to head off to my practicum in a few short days and have been asked to create a list of goals.

I have never been on a surgical care unit before and do not know what a typical nurse on that unit does during their day.

Can anyone tell me about your roles/duties so that I can create some specific learning goals for myself during my practicum experience?

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Jackson Pratt (JP) drains and how they work.

Hemovacs and how they work.

If either drain puts out lots of drainage to notify the doc

How to use a PCA (patient controlled analgesia) pump, how to set up, know the settings, and how to clear and change settings

Epidural anesthesia, some patients will have this, not as common as a PCA

Importance of incentive spirometer and its use to prevent pneumonia, encourage patients to use theirs

what are the most common patients that this unit sees (ortho, GI, general surgery)

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery.

Alot alot of teaching. IS use and lots of drains. There's alot of wound care also. In my year, I don't ever think I seen a hemovac and have had an epidural once. There were alot of JP, penrose, wound vacs... Alot of NG tubes also. Pain meds & nausea meds galore! Some surgical care units are different, my floor was strictly general surgery & urology. Ortho and spine were in its own unit.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I worked on a mixed ortho/GI/everything surgical floor for a year. I work PRN on a med/surg floor that takes GI and urology patients still.

Definitely a lot of JP drains, some hemovacs. PCAs. NG tubes. Know about your different diets. Clear liquids, full liquids, low residue etc. Lots of pain medicine. Know what works for what. Tylenol and ibuprofen are sometimes better than narcotics! Ambulating patients. How to help them transfer etc. Weight bearing for your ortho patients. Make sure to check your incisions! IS (incentive spirometer) use and the importance of that.

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Specializes in PACU, pre/postoperative, ortho.

Know mechanical & pharm measures for DVT/PE prevention along with presenting signs/symptoms & nursing interventions.

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