Nursing Prioritization Delegation Assignment Q 71

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Nurse Paul is developing a care plan for a client after bariatric surgery for morbid obesity. The nurse should include which of the following on the care plan as the priority complication to prevent:

  

     A. Pain

     B. Wound infection

     C. Depression

     D. Thrombophlebitis

    

    

Correct Answer: B. Wound infection

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Wound infection is the most common complication among obese clients who had undergone surgery. This is due to their poor blood supply in their adipose tissues. From a surgical standpoint, obesity is associated with a multitude of complications including impairments of cutaneous wound healing, total wound failure, and fascial dehiscence.

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Option A: A 2006 study of post bariatric patients found that over the ensuing six months after surgery, complication rates actually approached 40 percent. These complications included abdominal pain, nutritional deficiencies, endocrine or metabolic disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and wound compromise.

Option C: After bariatric surgery, improvements are significant in disease processes involving endocrine (diabetes), cardiovascular (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and coronary artery disease), rheumatic, and hypercoagulation disorders (deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism). Reductions in the severity of symptoms relating to sleep apnea and depression have also been observed.

Option D: Compared with nonobese surgical patients, obese patients have an increased incidence of surgical complications, including atelectasis, thrombophlebitis, mortality, wound infection, and wound separation.

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