Author Pearl
Watch for the rhythm of recovery or of a disease process. As a nurse practitioner, the author has noted that certain rhythms flow with a patient’s disease presentation or recovery. Working with gynecologic oncology post-operative patients for three years the author noted that the patient with a laparotomy had a certain rhythm to their recovery. The author observed that post-operative day one patients looked “sick” and were in “pain” and had to be strongly encouraged to move around. By post-operative day three the patients would usually start complaining of cramping gas pains, walking the halls, and would be sitting up talking.