Final answer:
A nurse can significantly contribute to a patient's safety and postoperative recovery by explaining the procedure before surgery, engaging in a rigorous 'time out' process for verification, and ensuring proper administration of prophylactic antibiotics, if indicated.
Step-by-step explanation:
To help a client feel safe and aid in postoperative recovery, a nurse can intervene in several ways, one of which includes explaining the procedure before surgery. This involves a thorough review of what the client can expect, which can help alleviate anxiety and ensure informed consent. Prior to the induction of anesthesia, it is important that the nurse and anesthesia professional confirm the patient's identity, surgical site, and procedure. This is done to minimize the risks of surgical errors and increase the safety of the procedure.
The nurse also plays a critical role in the time out process, which is a final verification step before skin incision where the entire team confirms the patient's identity, the surgical site and procedure, allergies, as well as evaluates the patient's airway. This process ensures that all essential aspects of the patient's care are addressed before the surgery begins. The nurse reviews aloud with the team items such as the name of the procedure, counts of needles, sponges, and instruments, proper labeling of specimens, and any issues with equipment.
Finally, the nurse confirms that prophylactic antibiotics (if indicated) have been administered within 60 minutes before the incision is made. They also ensure that all essential imaging results for the correct patient are displayed in the operating room. All of these interventions by the nurse contribute significantly to the safety and well-being of the patient both during and after the surgery.