Question

Peter Smith is a 73-year-old male with a history of mild depression. He arrives at the clinic holding a bloody towel over his left forearm. He is taken immediately back to the treatment area. He states that he cut himself with a large knife while cutting a pineapple. You take his vital signs while waiting for the physician. You notice the blood is leaking through the towel. You need to control the bleeding.

You put on PPE, most importantly gloves, and apply a large dressing over the area, holding firm pressure. The physician arrives, examines the patient, and determines that the patient will need sutures. While you are preparing Mr. Smith for his wound repair procedure, he tells you that he recently started swimming for exercise and is going to the Bahamas for a snorkeling trip in 2 weeks. He wants to know if this will ruin his trip.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is the medical assistant’s role during this minor surgical procedure?

2. Why is it important to document the number of sutures Dr. Buckwalter uses to close Mr. Smith’s wound?

3. How should you answer Mr. Smith’s question about his trip to the Bahamas?

4. Knowing that Mr. Smith started swimming last week, what should you tell him about protecting his sutures?

Answer 1

1.

Minor surgical procedures are performed at the physician clinic or office with any general anesthesia. It inclued repairs of laceration, dignosis of illness, removal of foreign body and wound debridement.

Medical assistant play important role during the minor surgical procedures

1. Preparations of client.

2. Disinfection or sterilisation of the articles use for surgery.

3. You need ensure safety and comfort of client

4. Help in passing the instrument require for surgery.

5. Listening to the person and relieve the concer of the patient

6. Arrangements of same home transportation

7. Clean the room and prepare for next patient

8. Documentation of the procedure and number of suture.

2.

It is important to count the number of the suture and write down in the patient chart and patient will make follow up appointment for removal.

It is also necessary for assessment of the heeling process in case of absorptive suture.

3.

Educate the patient about the care of suture during the trip and if possible try to avoid the trip till the suture healed property.

If he is going try to avoid swimming and take prescribed antibiotics it doctor has prescribed.

4.

Educate about the protecting the wound from contact of water as it may increase the chances of infection in the suture and reopening of the sutures.

Keep the suture dry and hydrated.

Avoid swimming till suture absorbed or removal.

Apply the antibiotics ointment to speed the healing process.

Any redness, swelling, red streaks or pus or develop should report or come meet to physician.

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