How to Nurse a Pediatric Surgical Patient

When your child has surgery, he is closely monitored and treated by a highly skilled staff of medical professionals. When he is stable enough to be discharged home, a nurse will instruct you on the proper care for his specific surgery.

Things You'll Need

• Discharge instruction sheet
• Prescription medications

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Instructions

• 1

  Encourage your child to rest in bed for the first 24 to 48 hours. If your child goes home shortly after having a day-surgery procedure, you may notice that he is a little unbalanced and experiencing some nausea; this is due to the anesthesia given before surgery. These symptoms usually subside within 1 to 2 days following the procedure.

• 2

  Administer medications as the doctor indicates. Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics and pain medications to prevent infection and discomfort following surgery. If your child has trouble taking his medications due to severe nausea and vomiting, consult with his physician.

• 3

  Feed your child clear liquids such as broth, popsicles and apple juice initially. Advance meals to include soup and crackers if he does not vomit. Continue to advance his meals as tolerated.

• 4

  Keep your child's surgery site clean and dry. Change the wound site bandages according to the discharge instructions you were given. Doctors recommend sponge bathing initially after surgery. One week following the procedure, most doctors allow light showering with a plastic covering to protect the wound.

• 5

  Restrict your child's activity in sports, including lifting or straining, until his follow-up visit. If the physician feels that your child is healing properly, he may lift the restriction on his activity level.