What needs to be done?
- Daily check of the patient’s parameters
- Daily answering of the patient’s messages
- Daily check of compliance to crutch use and medication
Only light preventive exercises are active during the first 2 weeks of recovery. No adaptation to exercises is needed during the first 2 weeks of rehabilitation.
What to advise the patient?
| If | Than |
| A lot of swelling and stiffness | • Elevation of the limb • Application of ice (video included in exercise scheme of patient) • Move the feet a lot |
| High pain scores | • Check medication use of patient • Consider consulting doctor to adapt medication • Inform the patient not to overdue it, advice to take the medication preventively and use the ice. |
| Wound issues | • If signs of inflammation: flag to doctor |
| Patient doesn’t fill in daily questionnaire | • Message the patient to fill out the daily questionnaire |
| Patient doesn’t follow crutches protocol | • Message patient • Escalate to the doctor if necessary |
When do you escalate to a doctor?
Escalate to a medical doctor when you get questions or see things that are not within your professional domain.
Some examples:
- Change in medication
- Signs of wound infection
- Non compliance of patients of the postoperative protocol