Postoperative Pulmonary Complications

Pulmonary Complications: Diaphragmatic breathing exercises or Incentive Spirometry?
Postoperative care is an essential role in nursing practice. It prevents postoperative complications that may arise due to surgeries. Postoperative care includes a pathway of healing and recovering leading to prophylaxis of many pulmonary complications. Postoperative pulmonary complications include respiratory failure, pneumonia, and atelectasis. Preventing such complications is important in the clinical setting because it avoids a decline in patients’ well-being. I chose this topic for it is a common set of complications that arises postoperatively. Preventing these complications will avoid longer hospital stays and will also speed up the recovery time. The
These patients undergo a transition, especially if the surgery was planned for. Nurses need to understand how the illness affects patients. Therefore, the articles reviewed, analyzed many techniques used in the clinical setting but diaphragmatic breathing exercises were the most effective. This shows that there is a need for further research in finding new and more effective ways on preventing pulmonary complications. Knowledge from the studies were subdivided into four segments empirical, aesthetic, personal, and ethical (Carper,1978). To implement the four ways of knowing in this topic of review, the significance of each can be elaborated. Empirical way of knowing is demonstrated by nursing literature in researching and learning techniques and procedures to better their scope of practice and to raise questions on improving the health care system. (Carper, 1987). In terms of Aesthetic, this study shows that nurses should further understand what their patients’ experience is when dealing with pulmonary complications and should view the “wholeness of the situation” (Carper, 1987) rather than just the symptoms. Although, nurses need a strong heart to face difficult situations and hear upsetting stories about the patient’s story, it is also a nurses’ responsibility to understand themselves and imagine themselves in the patient’s position so that they can implement their care
The two main techniques that were discussed were: Diaphragmatic breathing exercise and the Incentive Spirometry. These two techniques were studied to compare the effectiveness in preventing the possibility of postoperative pulmonary complications. This study was shown using a level II quantitative study. The results showed that, although both techniques were effective, diaphragmatic breathing exercise was further successful. This research contributes to nursing practice for it is a common topic that is stressed throughout the hospital and implemented in care. Both techniques are used in hospitals but now it is more clear as to which one should be frequently used. Knowledge gained from this research showed evidence informed practice by presenting data that has given me as a term ii nursing student, a clear outlook on which techniques I would utilize in the clinical setting. I acknowledge that the scope of this research focuses on the effectiveness of techniques. However, in future research, I would inquire why the health care industry is still investing so much in other more costly, invasive and less effective breathing