Premium
Special Needs of Older Adults Undergoing Surgery
Author(s) -
Clayton Judith L.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
aorn journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.222
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1878-0369
pISSN - 0001-2092
DOI - 10.1016/j.aorn.2008.02.006
Subject(s) - medicine , life expectancy , perioperative , disease , health care , perioperative nursing , nursing care , intensive care medicine , nursing , gerontology , surgery , environmental health , population , pathology , economics , economic growth
DURING THE PAST CENTURY, life expectancy in the United States has increased as a result of improved sanitation, development of vaccines and treatments for childhood diseases, and vast improvements in health care and disease prevention. OLDER ADULTS ARE AT HIGHER RISK than younger individuals for complications during and after surgery. Carefully planned, effective nursing care during the perioperative period will help reduce surgical morbidity in older adults. AGE‐SPECIFIC NURSING CARE techniques that are provided during the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of a surgical experience are discussed in this article, with a particular focus on how to manage pain and prevent infection.