Abstract
M.Cur.
The natural progress of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is enlargement and rupture. The incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms has increased in the past 30 years and up to 50% of the patients with untreated aneurysms will die due to rupture within 5 years. Open surgery is effective in the prevention of rupture and can be performed with a mortality of 2 -5% in most cases. However, patients with aneurysms are generally older and have associated medical co-morbidities, which increase the risk in surgical intervention. In view of these associated risks with open surgery for abdominal aorta aneurysm repair, a less invasive option such as endoluminal stent-grafts, are often preferred. This new, less invasive technique with Parodi as pioneer has several advantages for patients, the greatest being the reduction in peri-operative risks of aneurysm repair. As in all new procedures, this new intervention sets specific requirements for quality peri-operative nursing. Within the legal-ethical framework of nursing there is no room for random nursing, and we as nurses must turn to protocols and standards applicable to quality nursing, and in effect the quality assurance process. Quality nursing care delivery to the patient remains the ideal of each nurse. The endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms, although less invasive, is still associated with major morbidity and mortality. The potential for complications is a reality. Complications are mainly systemic and/or procedure related.
The reality of these complications affects the quality of nursing. Finally, the need to accommodate this problem requires that protocol/standards are established for the nursing of the patient with an endoluminal repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm by means of an endovascular stent-graft.
The following question can be asked in view of the above arguments and problem statement: How must these patients be nursed peri-operatively to ensure quality nursing care?
The aim of this study is to compile protocol/standards for quality nursing of patients with an erldovascular stent-graft repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm in a Coronary Intensive Care Unit in a private hospital in Cape Town.