A relative or friend

If you are placed in the position of caring for a relative or friend who has had an anaesthetic, you need to know what to expect and how you can help.

In the hospital, nurses and other staff will care for the patient. Your presence will be important in hastening recovery from surgery and anaesthesia, by providing a reassuring link with normal life outside the hospital. You can help by talking, holding a hand, or assisting with everyday activities such as eating and washing. The patient is likely to be a little slower to think and react, especially after a long or complex operation and when pain-relieving medication is being used on a continuous or frequent basis. This requires patience and tolerance on your part.

The patient may vomit. This is never pleasant, either for the patient or for carers. It is best just to clean up and carry on, rather than making a fuss or reacting negatively – it is not the patient’s fault!

At all times, if you are uncertain as to how to manage the situation or if you need explanation, ask the nursing staff.

When you are caring for the patient at home, many of the same principles apply. Ensure that the bathroom and toilet facilities are easily accessible and that there is someone available to assist if necessary. You might consider giving the patient a bell to ring when needing help. Make sure that the patient has all prescribed medication and painkillers available. Encourage him or her to take the pain-relieving medication, rather than endure unnecessary discomfort.

The patient who has had major surgery and anaesthesia is likely to feel a little tired for anything up to several weeks. This is especially so in older patients. Carers need to be aware of this and to be prepared to seek help at any time. Contact should be made with the patient’s family doctor, as soon as possible after discharge from hospital.

The Elderly

Looking after an elderly relative after discharge from hospital can present major difficulties for families. Recovery from anaesthesia and surgery takes longer than with a young, fit patient. An elderly patient may suffer temporary forgetfulness. This becomes particularly important if there is a need to remember such things as the taking of regular doses of prescription medicine.

Most importantly, elderly patients need to return to their usual level of activity, although this may be a slow process. Lying in bed and sitting in a chair for prolonged periods after surgery puts anyone at risk of developing a blood clot or deep vein thrombosis (DVT), in a vein in the leg or pelvis. Such clots can be potentially lethal if they become dislodged and travel to the heart and lungs where they block the flow of blood.