How long should you monitor post-op patients

I’ve been thinking about the best practices for post-operative monitoring in surgery. It’s fascinating how the time requirement can vary based on the type of procedure and the patient’s individual needs. I always try to keep a close eye for at least an hour in recovery, but I’m curious what others in the field are doing. What have your experiences been like?

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But this drives me nuts sometimes! I’ve seen a good shift in recovery when we implement early mobility techniques, like short, assisted walks a day after surgery. Patients seem to respond well to being up and about. @jgrant2023, have you experimented with different pain relief options before moving them?

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Monitoring for at least an hour post-op is a solid approach, especially to watch for complications. I’ve found that using a simple pain score can really help gauge how the patient is doing right after surgery. Have you tried anything like that, @cyoung22?

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