Unit 1313: Medical-Surgical Nursing

1. Introduction to Medical-Surgical Nursing

• Role of medical-surgical nurses
  • Definition and scope of practice
  • Responsibilities in various healthcare settings
• Importance of medical-surgical nursing specialty
  • Contribution to patient outcomes
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration

2. Common Medical-Surgical Conditions

• Overview of prevalent conditions
  • Diabetes mellitus
    • Pathophysiology
    • Clinical manifestations
    • Treatment and nursing care
  • Hypertension
    • Pathophysiology
    • Signs and symptoms
    • Management strategies
  • Heart failure
    • Pathophysiology
    • Clinical features
    • Therapeutic approaches
  • Respiratory disorders
    • Common conditions (e.g., COPD, pneumonia)
    • Pathophysiology and manifestations
    • Treatment modalities

3. Nursing Care for Patients with Surgical Procedures

• Pre-operative care
  • Patient assessment
  • Preparation and education
  • Infection prevention strategies
• Intra-operative considerations (overview)
  • Role of the nurse during surgery
• Post-operative care
  • Monitoring vital signs and complications
  • Pain management
  • Wound care and dressing management
  • Mobilization and prevention of complications

4. Pain Management in Medical-Surgical Nursing

• Types of pain relevant to medical-surgical patients
• Pain assessment techniques
  • Pain scales and documentation
• Pharmacological interventions
  • Analgesics: opioids and non-opioids
  • Administration routes and side effects
• Non-pharmacological approaches
  • Relaxation techniques
  • Heat/cold therapy
  • Distraction and cognitive-behavioral methods

5. Complications in Medical-Surgical Nursing

• Common complications
  • Sepsis
  • Respiratory distress
  • Hemorrhage
• Early identification and assessment
• Nursing interventions and management
• Documentation and reporting

6. Pharmacology in Medical-Surgical Nursing

• Overview of commonly used medications
  • Antibiotics
  • Antihypertensives
  • Diuretics
  • Analgesics
• Dosage calculations
• Routes of administration
• Side effects and adverse reactions
• Nursing considerations for safe medication administration

7. Nursing Management of Fluid and Electrolyte Imbalances

• Concepts of fluid balance and electrolytes
• Common imbalances
  • Dehydration and overhydration
  • Hyponatremia, hypernatremia
  • Hypokalemia, hyperkalemia
• Assessment techniques
  • Monitoring input/output
  • Laboratory values
• Nursing interventions to restore balance

8. Wound Care and Management

• Types of wounds
  • Abrasions, lacerations, puncture wounds, surgical wounds
• Wound healing process
  • Phases: inflammatory, proliferative, maturation
• Wound assessment
  • Size, depth, exudate, infection signs
• Wound care techniques
  • Cleaning and dressing
  • Use of advanced wound care products
  • Infection control

9. Patient Education and Discharge Planning

• Importance of patient education
• Effective communication strategies
  • Using layman’s terms
  • Cultural sensitivity
• Discharge planning
  • Assessing patient readiness
  • Providing resources and instructions
  • Follow-up care and referrals

10. Ethical and Legal Issues in Medical-Surgical Nursing

• Ethical dilemmas in nursing practice
• Legal considerations
  • Informed consent
  • Patient confidentiality and privacy
  • Documentation standards
• Professional responsibilities
• End-of-life care issues
  • Advanced directives
  • Palliative care principles