ECG Interpretation of the Post Anaesthetic Patient Essay

ECG Interpretation of the Post Anaesthetic Patient - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that monitoring of patients who have experienced a postoperative or preoperative cardiac event is critical as it enables the nurse to respond to any abnormalities that the patient may display. In doing so, the nurse displays high standards of patient care and professional competence in a PACU setting. In the researcher’s department, the PACU uses an ECG to monitor and measure the electrical activity of the heart. 12-leads are used to provide a comprehensive view of the electrical activity of the heart. Monitoring of these values enables the nurse to respond to any abnormalities that may be revealed. These abnormal values in the electrical activity of the heart represent certain abnormalities on the heart that may require rapid intervention. For purposes of developing the researcher’s clinical practice, he got an opportunity to work at stage two PACU. At the beginning of the researcher’s clinical practice experience, his main objective was to learn how to interpret the ECG. Other objectives that he had to include developing the skills and competency required in order to recognize an abnormal ECG, and developing competency in observing and monitoring the cardiac activity of a patient during recovery. According to ACORN, a PARU nurse is expected to specialize in the clinical management and assessment of patients who are in the PARU. The PARU nurse is expected to conduct clinical monitoring and observation of the patients in PARU. The nurse must be fully aware of any clinical limitations and seek advice accordingly. The nurse must monitor, interpret and have the ability to respond to a patient’s clinical needs. It is important also that the PARU nurse optimizes the utilization of all available technologies in an effort to optimize the outcomes of the patient under their care. Among PARU patients, it is common for complications arising from coexisting diseases or anaesthesia surgery to occur. Th e PARU nurse is therefore expected to demonstrate vigilance in assessing and managing of patients while in PARU. Based on the patient’s history and or condition, it may be necessary to monitor the patient’s cardiac activity. ACORN (N6, 2011) statement 9 requires that nurses be working towards achieving knowledge on basic cardiac rhythm and arrhythmias that are life threatening. While working at PACU, I got an opportunity to gain relevant clinical practice experience with regard to the duties and responsibilities of the PACU nurse. I got an opportunity to monitor and observe one of the patients who was recovering in PACU after surgery. The patient was an 83-year-old female who had been admitted to the right cataract surgery. The patient had a medical history of AF, HTN, GORD, CCF, lung cancer and mild cognitive impairment. The patient had a permanent pacemaker inserted in her. The patient’s medication included Cardizem, Coumadin, Durogesic, Hydrea, Lasix, Movical, Nexium, Panadol Osteo and Oste Vit-D. The patient was allergic to Augmentin, Digoxin, Hiprex, Metopropl, Norspan, Oxycontin, Phenergan. The patient’s heart rate was 127 and other important values included QRDS 81, QT 338, QTcB 492, QTcF 434, and QRS 49. With regard to the patient’s observation and monitoring, I observed the patient and took the vitals. I was delighted that I w as proficient when it comes to monitoring and obtaining patient vitals. More importantly, I obtained the patient’s ECG and discussed with my facilitator the accuracy and significance of the ECG reading. The patient had given me the consent to obtain her information. On discussing with my facilitator the reading, I was delighted to be informed that my reading was accurate. Apart from obtaining the ECG reading accurately, my interpretation was also correct according to my facilitator. As a result of the reading that I had