Mr. David, an 83-year-old man, is admitted to your unit after an emergency cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) under general anesthesia. It has been 12 hours since surgery, and although arousable, Mr. David is still very groggy and sedated
His family is concerned and thinks there is something wrong. As the LPN in charge, you
a. Call the physician immediately; the family is right, he should not be groggy 12 hours after surgery
b. Decide you will refuse to medicate him for pain if he asks because he is still heavily sedated
c. Increase his IV rate
d. Explain to the family that because of normal age-related changes, it takes longer for the effects of anesthesia to wear off
D
Anesthesia, a drug normally excreted by respiration, may have an increased effect on an older patient because of decreased respiratory and vital capacity. Responses A and B would be incorrect because it is normal for the patient to be groggy. The nurse should be checking vital signs to determine that there is no other problem (response C). The nurse would need a physician order to change the IV rate. Because anesthesia is excreted through respirations, it will probably not speed up the wakening process.
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