On Call Surgery

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Pre-OP Note ∗ Date and time: ∗ See also Chapter 24. Pre-op diagnosis: Procedure planned: Staff surgeon: Pre-op examination: Pertinent pre-op laboratory studies: List of routine medications/therapies: Blood products available: -Confirm availability with a phone call to the blood bank…

Reading X-Rays ( Fig. A.1 and A.2 ) Reading ECGs Rate Multiply the number of QRS complexes in a 6-second period (30 large squares) (between the two large dots) by 10 = beats/minute ( Fig. A.3 ). Normal = 60…

The on-call physician for a surgical service should feel comfortable managing wound problems. Usually, most of these problems are straightforward. However, some calls about wound problems lead to the diagnosis of a serious problem. For this reason, it is important…

Changes in urine output (UO) encompass a variety of complaints, the most common being a decrease in UO in a postoperative patient because of changes in intravascular volume. Also considered in this chapter are other causes of decreased UO, increased…

The ultrasound machine has become ubiquitous in most hospitals. As ultrasound portability has improved, use of bedside sonographic assessment has expanded. Today, point-of-care ultrasound assessments aid in diagnostics and procedural technique. Ultrasound evaluation offers a rapid, low-cost adjunct to diagnostics…

Many postoperative patients will have drainage devices to facilitate their care. The types used most often fall into the following broad categories: Chest tubes Urinary drainage tubes (urinary catheters) Gastrointestinal (GI) tubes (nasogastric [NG], feeding tubes, and gastrostomy and jejunostomy…

Trauma describes injuries caused by physical forces. These may be blunt, penetrating, thermal, or any combination of the three. As the leading cause of death in patients under 45 years of age, it is imperative that the on-call surgeon be…

Syncope is a brief loss of consciousness caused by an interruption of cerebral blood flow. Causes range from benign processes such as vasovagal episodes to more serious conditions such as dysrhythmias. As the on-call physician, your job is to identify…

It is common to be asked to assess problems with a patient’s breathing. Shortness of breath (SOB) has many causes. Most at risk to develop respiratory distress are those who have had thoracic or upper abdominal procedures, and elderly, obese,…