Objective
The objective of this study is to conduct a nursing assessment on a patient who is 68 years of age and admitted for hip replacement. The patient has been in increasingly severe pain for the last three years and this has altered her usual activities. The patient is very active in that she walks two miles a day with her golden retriever, plays golf, and is on a bowling league. However, the last there months due to pain, the patient has not participated in her general activities. The patient is on aspirin and Ibuprofen, which do not stop the pain at a maximum dose. The patient’s husband passed away five years ago and her adult children live on the other side of the country.
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"Nursing Assessment".
I. Medications
The patient will be questioned concerning her use of the medications aspirin and ibuprofen insofar as the dosage and the frequency that she is taking these medications. Ibuprofen when taken with aspirin can reduce the effectiveness of the aspirin. The recommendations for use when using both aspirin and ibuprofen state that the ibuprofen should be taken either eight hours before the aspirin or 30 minutes following having taken the aspirin. (Foreman, 2007, p. 1)
II. Social Support System
Following the patient’s hip replacement surgery, the patient will require some assistance with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and moving around in her home. The fact that the patient has no family that lives nearby and that can assist her present some concern for the patient’s well-being following the hip replacement surgery. The nurse should inquire as to how the patient plans to ensure their safety following the hip replacement surgery until they are fully mobile again. The nurse will recommend to this patient that they transfer to a rehabilitation hospital for post-surgery physical therapy and occupational therapy.
III. Post-Operative Pain Control
Since the patient is not familiar with taking prescription pain medication, there would be some reluctance to prescribe anything but a low dosage painkiller to the patient and this is particularly true since the patient lives alone and has no family living nearby that will be keeping a check on the patient following hip replacement surgery. However, since the patient is advised to enter a rehabilitation hospital for physical and occupational therapy following the hip replacement surgery, the patient will likely be free of any post-operative pain before they return home following the surgery.
IV. Physical Assessment
The patient will be assessed for the use of a walker following the hip replacement surgery.
V. Other
While in the rehabilitation hospital, the patient will receive education about how to care for themselves following hip replacement surgery, which includes such as how to turn, and how far they should bend over immediately following the surgery. Included as well will be information on how to safely dress and bathe themselves after hip replacement surgery.
- Foreman, J. (2007) Ibuprofen Timing Key with Aspirin Therapy. 16 Feb 2007. The Sun. Retrieved from: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2007-02-16/news/0702160251_1_aspirin-ibuprofen-for-pain-aquafresh
- Recovering from Hip Replacement Surgery (2013) UCSF Medical Center. Retrieved from: http://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/recovering_from_hip_replacement_surgery/
