What it means
A problem that was not there before and comes from a disease, a surgery or a treatment. Examples are an infection in a surgical wound, a deep vein thrombosisDEEP VAYN throm-BOH-sisA blood clot in a deep vein, most often in the leg or pelvis.thromb/o clot-osis conditionFull entry in the leg after surgery, or pneumonia in a client who cannot move. Much of nursing care is meant to prevent complications or catch them early.
For the nurse
Know the common complications of each condition and procedure so you can look for their early signs, such as fever, a change in vital signs, new pain or swelling, or a change in mental status, and report them.
In a chart
"Watch for postoperative complications: bleeding, infection, DVT and atelectasis."
At a glance
| Spanish | complicación |
|---|---|
| Also written | complications |
Related terms
postoperative
Describing the time after surgery, from the end of the operation until recovery.
adverse effect
An unwanted and harmful effect of a drug or treatment given at a normal dose.