Question

A patient has had surgery to create an ileal conduit for urinary diversion. What is a priority intervention by the nurse in the postoperative phase of care?

a) Turn the patient every 2 hours around the clock.
b) Administer pain medication every 2 hours. c) Monitor urine output hourly and report output less than 30 mL/hr.
d) Clean the stoma with soap and water after the patient voids.

Answer 1

The priority intervention following an ileal conduit surgery is to monitor urine output hourly and report if it drops below 30 mL/hr (option c) , as this helps ensure proper function of the urinary diversion.

Step-by-step explanation:

The priority intervention by a nurse in the postoperative phase of care for a patient who has undergone surgery to create an ileal conduit for urinary diversion is to monitor urine output hourly and report output less than 30 mL/hr. This is crucial because it helps to ensure that the newly constructed urinary diversion is functioning properly and that the patient does not develop acute postoperative complications such as a blockage or dehydration, both of which could be detrimental to patient recovery and health.

It is less of a priority in the immediate postoperative phase to turn the patient every 2 hours, administer pain medication every 2 hours without regard for the patient's pain level, or clean the stoma with soap and water after each void, since urine does not exit via a stoma in an ileal conduit. Careful monitoring of the stoma site for proper healing and signs of infection, however, is also an important aspect of postoperative care but does not take precedence over monitoring output.