Case history
It is 8:00 AM. You are starting your shift in the surgery unit. Your patient, Mr. Giovanni, 72, is a retired plumber. After falling at home last night, he arrived in emergency by ambulance. The neck and head of his left femur were replaced during the night. He was brought to this unit at 5:00 AM this morning.
This is what is in the report you received: Arrived from operating room at 5:00 AM, VS stable, well managed by PCA pump, RL underway; 600 ml remaining to finish. Clean bandage on left hip. Scrapes on left arm. Bruising on left eye. Oriented in 3 spheres. He has to receive his first dose of antibiotics at 9:00 AM. His wife, Paulette, spent the night in the hospital with him. She just left and said she would return later.
You are now going to do your first visit.