Post Operative Care: Types, Benefits and Importance

What is Post-operative Care?

Post-operative care is an important part of the healing process after surgery. Post-operative care attempts to control pain, promote healing and prevent problems. It starts in the hospital with the nurses as soon as an operation is completed and then continues after the patient has been discharged. 

Depending on the type of surgery and the patient’s medical background, the post-operative care level is chosen. Wound healing, pain management and airway protection are a few of the most urgent issues. In addition, preventing urine retention, blood pressure swings, fever, deep vein thrombosis, constipation and loss of muscle mass may be additional post-operative care issues that need to be kept an eye on.

Post-operative care has a variety of advantages, including lowering the risk of infection, guaranteeing appropriate wound healing and avoiding blood clots. Prioritising post-operative care is crucial for a speedy recovery and to prevent the need for further medical treatment.

Types of Post-operative Care

Post-operative Hospital Care

After surgery, the patient usually needs to stay in the hospital for a few days to be monitored. Physiotherapy, management of medicines, wound care and pain management, are frequently included in post-operative hospital care. The length of time a patient stays in hospital depends on many factors – often including the number of beds available – but it is up to the medical team to decide when a patient is ready to move to the next post-operative stage.

Post-operative care by carers visiting your home

After being discharged from the hospital, sometimes a group of carers is organised to visit you regularly for a few days to a few weeks. This is to ensure your recovery is progressing and to help you remember to take medicines, help with preparing meals and showering or having a bath. 

It allows patients to recover where they are likely to be most comfortable – in their own home – but at the same time ensure they are on the road to recovery. Imagine trying to make a cup of tea if you have just had shoulder surgery or broken a wrist; carers who visit your home can make life a bit easier for you. 

Post-operative specialist care centres

Another popular option for post-operative care after a patient has been discharged from the hospital is to stay for a week or two in a specialist centre for post-operative rehabilitation and convalescent care. These post-operative care facilities are like a halfway house between hospital and home. 

Post-operative care centres accept patients directly from the hospital when they are still unsure of how and when to take their medication, treat their wounds and need a bit of looking after. With washing, cooking and cleaning done by the post-operative care centre staff, the patients can focus on getting themselves better without worrying about the mundane day-to-day chores. There is also a team of medical professionals on hand 24/7 for any worries or issues the patients may have.

Services Offered During Post-operative Care

Post-operative care helps with the effective and quick recovery of patients. There are many services that may be included in the post-operative care process. Some of them are shown below:

Wound Care:

Taking proper care of wounds is necessary to avoid infection and to help accelerate the healing process. This care involves treating wounds, cleaning them and keeping an eye out for signs of infection.

Medication Management:

Medication Management involves ensuring that patients take their medication as directed. This service involves keeping to medication schedules, giving medications and adjusting the dosages as necessary.

Rehabilitation Services: 

Post-operative rehabilitation is necessary for helping to regain mobility and function. Speech, occupational and physiotherapy are often included in rehabilitation services.

Nutritional Support:

Getting proper nutritious food is very important for a speedy recovery. Monitoring patients’ dietary requirements and giving advice on good food are part of postoperative care. Post-operative centres usually have full-time chefs who create healthy and vitamin-rich enticing meals.

Personal Care: 

Patients might need help with daily tasks such as dressing, washing or taking a bath. Providers of post-operative care might assist with these duties to make sure patients are as comfortable and healthy as possible.

Nursing Care:

Nursing care includes observing vital signs, giving medication and tending to wounds, which is a key part of post-operative care.

Who Is Post-operative Care For?

Patients after surgery

Following a physical procedure such as hip or knee replacement surgery might experience mobility issues for up to three months after the surgery. Staying at a post-operative care home in Sussex is perfect for when you need that extra bit of help and medical expertise after you are discharged from the hospital – to help you on your road to recovery.

Older People 

As you get older, your physical capacity decreases. This, in turn, is likely to lead to complications more frequently than if you are younger. Spending a week or two in convalescent care after surgery with a team of professionals looking after you definitely increases your chance of a positive outcome

Teams with years of expertise dealing with seniors can offer a variety of postoperative care services, including medication management or assistance with cleanliness routines.

Family Members 

In the days following surgery, many patients rely on their family members to help them with various tasks. Post-operative care in a qualified, professional, but friendly place such as Rustington Convalescent Home can help family members too by leaving them to get on with their lives safe in the knowledge that the patient is being well cared for.

Importance of Postoperative Care

Minimises the Risk of Complications: 

Post-operative care can help in reducing the risk of complications such as blood clots, infections and pneumonia. 

Promotes Healing: 

By ensuring that wounds are kept clean and checked regularly for symptoms of infection, proper post-operative care can promote healing. Rehabilitation exercises done correctly are also likely to help regain mobility and functionality.

Reduces Pain and Discomfort: 

As part of post-operative treatment, pain management services are provided to help lessen the discomfort that comes with recovery after surgery. To ensure that patients are comfortable, this service comprises giving the correct amounts of medication at the right times and monitoring the results.

Provides Emotional Support: 

Recovering from surgery can be difficult and tiring, but postoperative care professionals can assist patients and their families with emotional support and counselling. 

Improves Outcomes: 

By lowering the risk of complications, encouraging healing and assisting patients in managing pain and suffering, the correct post-operative care can improve results. 

Benefits of Post-operative Care

Enhanced Recovery

Post-operative care can often help patients recover faster and more efficiently by providing personalised care plans that include wound care, pain management and rehabilitation services.

Reduced Side Effects and Complications

Post-operative care professionals can keep a careful eye on patients for any indications of difficulties or side effects and respond quickly to control them. This service can decrease the possibility of complications by giving patients the correct and timely care they need.

Improved Life Quality

By controlling pain, attending to emotional needs, and fostering general well-being, post-operative care can help patients lead better lives. It may also help patients regain their independence so they can resume their regular habits.

Regaining Control over Personal Aspects of Life

By providing services that are tailored to each patient’s needs, post-operative care can help patients to regain control over their life. Home care services, for instance, enable patients to heal in the comfortable environment of their own homes, and rehabilitation services aid in regaining mobility and functionality.

Complications That Can Be Prevented With Post-operative Care:

The medical team in hospitals obviously takes every precaution before, during, and after the operation. However, this team cannot be responsible for what happens once a patient leaves their care in the hospital. 

It’s important to realise that there are some post-operative side effects, such as wound infections.  There are three main types of problems which can happen after any type of operation:

1) Immediate complications, which occur within 48 hours or three days of surgery;

2) Early complications, which occur a few weeks later; and

3) Late complications, which may occur years afterwards.

The following are the most frequent post-operative side effects:

• Shock
• Haemorrhage
• Infection
• Bleeding
• Urinary Retention
• Loss of Muscular Ability
• Fever
• Lung Complications

Why Choose Rustington Convalescent Home for Post-operative Care?

Rustington Convalescent Home in West Sussex is an excellent choice for Convalescent Home. Our team is highly trained and experienced in post-operative care and are dedicated to providing individualised, supportive care for each patient.

Rustington Convalescent Home also offers activities to keep patients engaged and occupied during their stay, like-minded positive companions, outstanding views and walks, professional kind staff, and the most amazing healthy, freshly cooked food!

It’s a great choice for post-operative care and well worth a visit to the South Coast from wherever you live in the UK. Contact us for more information today.