Essential Concepts in Pharmacology and Surgical Nursing Practice

Therapeutic Actions of Drugs

• Palliative
• Curative
• Supportive (De sostén)
• Substitutive
• Chemotherapeutic
• Restorative (Repair)

Factors Affecting Drug Action

• Development
• Gender-related factors
• Culture, Ethnicity, Genetics
• Diet

The Five Rights of Medication Administration

Ensuring patient safety requires adherence to the following principles:

1. Right Patient
2. Right Time
3. Right Medicine
4. Right Dose
5. Right Route of Administration

The Four 'I's Rule for Nurses

This rule emphasizes accountability in medication processes:

• I Prepare (Yo preparo)
• I Administer (Yo administro)
• I Record (Yo registro)
• I Respond (Yo respondo)

Drug Administration Routes Classification

• Enteral (Natural)
• Parenteral (Artificial)
• Topical (Natural)

The Role of the Surgical Nurse

Ensuring Patient Safety and Welfare

Intraoperative Nursing Duties

• Planning surgery
• Hand scrubbing/washing

Postoperative Nursing Care Goals

• Reset physiological balance
• Pain relief
• Prevent complications

Key Principles of Body Mechanics

• The large muscles become fatigued less quickly than smaller ones.
• Muscles are always maintained at a slight contraction.
• Stability is greater when the object has a broad support base, a low center of gravity, and when the line of gravity falls at right angles into the base of support.
• The effort required to move a body depends on the strength of the body and gravity.
• The force required to maintain the equilibrium of a body increases as the line of gravity moves away from the fulcrum.

Injury Prevention Through Proper Posture

Proper positioning conserves energy and helps protect the back. Using the body in a safe, good posture provides stability to the back and controls movement.

Common Patient Positioning Techniques

• Supine Position: Lying flat on the back.
• Supine Position (Flexed Knees): Often referred to as Dorsal Recumbent.
• Prone Position: Lying face down.
• Morestin Position (Reverse Trendelenburg): Head up.
• Roser Position: Used specifically for procedures like tracheotomy.

Wound Assessment and Drainage Types

Definition of Exudate

Exudate is fluid and cells that have left the blood vessels during the inflammatory process.

Types of Exudate

• Serous Exudate: Composed of serum (the fluid portion of blood). Example: burn blisters.
• Purulent Drainage: Pus derived from leukocytes (pus-producing pyogenic), typically green or yellow.
• Bloody Exudate: Contains large quantities of red blood cells (Hemorrhagic).

Surgical Wound Assessment Criteria

Assessment involves evaluating the following factors:

• Appearance: Color of the wound and surrounding areas, condition of the edges.
• Size: Dimensions and location of the wound.
• Drainage: Location, color, consistency, odor, and degree of saturation of the dressing.
• Swelling: Minimal or moderate swelling is normal in the early stages of healing.
• Pain: Severe or moderate pain persisting 3 to 5 days post-op may indicate complications such as hemorrhage or infection.

The Chain of Infection Components

• Pathogen (Infectious Agent): A microorganism that causes disease.
• Infection: Invasion of organic tissues where microorganisms proliferate.
• Mode of Transmission: The route by which the pathogen travels (e.g., direct or indirect).
• Pathogenicity: The ability of the pathogen to produce signs and symptoms.

Foundational Concepts in Nursing

• Holism: Viewing the individual patient as a whole entity regarding health.
• Health: Well-being, not merely the absence of disease.

Defining the Nursing Profession

Nursing is a scientific and humanistic profession whose primary role is to care for people.