# A nurse is caring for a client who underwent emergency surgery for retinal detachment repair 6 hours ago. Which nursing intervention should be the nurse's highest priority?

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> subject: Adult Health

## 문제

A nurse is caring for a client who underwent emergency surgery for retinal detachment repair 6 hours ago. Which nursing intervention should be the nurse's highest priority?

## 보기

1. Maintain strict positioning as ordered by the surgeon to promote retinal reattachment **✔ 정답**
2. Administer prescribed analgesics every 4 hours to manage post-operative pain
3. Encourage deep breathing exercises to prevent respiratory complications
4. Monitor vital signs every 2 hours to assess for signs of infection

**정답: 1**

## 해설

Maintaining strict positioning as ordered is the highest priority to promote retinal reattachment and prevent re-detachment. Pain management, respiratory care, and infection monitoring are important but secondary to positioning.

## 심화 해설

Understanding the Priority

Following retinal detachment repair surgery, the primary goal of nursing care is to ensure the surgical intervention is successful. The retina is reattached using techniques like a gas bubble, silicone oil, or scleral buckle, and its adherence to the underlying tissue is fragile in the immediate post-operative period. Any incorrect movement can displace the tamponade agent (e.g., gas bubble) from its intended position, leading to surgical failure and permanent vision loss. Therefore, maintaining the precise position ordered by the surgeon is not just a comfort measure; it is a therapeutic intervention critical to the anatomical success of the repair.

Why Strict Positioning is the Highest Priority

The surgeon orders a specific position, often face-down, to use gravity to hold the gas bubble or oil against the retinal break. This internal splinting action allows the retinal pigment epithelium to pump out subretinal fluid and create a firm adhesion. Failure to maintain this position, even for a short period, can allow fluid to re-accumulate under the retina, causing a re-detachment. The provided study by Kim et al. (2021) underscores the clinical reality of this requirement. The research specifically investigated a structured exercise program to manage the significant musculoskeletal pain caused by the mandatory face-down posture after vitrectomy [1]. The very existence of a study to mitigate the discomfort of this positioning highlights its non-negotiable, critical role in the recovery process.

Analyzing the Other Options

While the other interventions are standard components of post-operative care, they are secondary to the intervention that directly ensures the surgery's mechanical success.

-   Administering prescribed analgesics: Pain management is important for patient comfort and can indirectly aid compliance with positioning. However, pain is an expected outcome, and its management does not take precedence over the therapeutic positioning that prevents a sight-threatening complication. The study by Kim et al. acknowledges that post-operative pain from positioning is a significant concern, yet the intervention tested was an adjunct to, not a replacement for, the required posture [1].

-   Encouraging deep breathing exercises: This is a routine intervention to prevent atelectasis and pneumonia, especially in post-surgical patients. However, the risk of a respiratory complication in the first 6 hours after a short, non-abdominal surgery is far less immediate than the risk of retinal re-detachment from improper positioning.

-   Monitoring vital signs every 2 hours: Assessing for post-operative hemorrhage or infection is a fundamental nursing responsibility. At 6 hours post-surgery, the patient is past the immediate anesthesia recovery phase where life-threatening vital sign instability is most common. While infection is a long-term concern, the window for preventing mechanical surgical failure is measured in hours and days, making positioning the immediate priority.

The hierarchy of actions is clear: first, protect the surgical repair through precise positioning; second, manage the patient's comfort and systemic well-being to support that primary goal.References (research sources)

- [1]A structured exercise to relieve musculoskeletal pain caused by face-down posture after retinal surgery: a randomized controlled trial.RCT/clinical trialKim AY, Hwang S, Kang SW, Shin SY, Chang WH, Kim SJ, Noh H. (2021) · DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01182-w

## 임상 시나리오

Postoperative Positioning After Retinal SurgeryTherapeutic Priority to Prevent Re-Detachment
The highest priority after retinal detachment repair is maintaining the strict position ordered by the surgeon. This uses gravity to keep the tamponade agent (gas or oil) pressed against the retinal break, acting as an internal splint.

This positioning is critical in the first 24 to 48 hours and often required for up to 1 to 2 weeks. Any deviation can allow fluid to re-accumulate under the retina, leading to surgical failure and permanent vision loss.

CautionPain management and other comfort measures are secondary. Do not let the patient's discomfort from the mandatory position override the therapeutic need. Coordinate with the surgeon before adjusting the position for any reason, including meals or hygiene.

## 핵심 개념

- **Tamponade Agent** — A gas bubble or silicone oil injected into the vitreous cavity to hold the retina in place against the eye wall.
- **Retinal Reattachment** — The primary goal of surgery where the detached neurosensory retina is repositioned against the retinal pigment epithelium.
- **Face-Down Positioning** — A common postoperative position using gravity to keep the tamponade agent floating against the retinal break for optimal healing.

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