As a patient recovering from sedation post-abdominal surgery begins to awaken, what should the respiratory therapist recommend?

• A. Weaning
• B. Checking end-tidal CO2
• C. Monitoring closely
• D. Ambulation of the patient

Answer: (A)

The recommendation for weaning is appropriate in this context because as the patient begins to awaken from sedation, their respiratory drive and ability to breathe independently should be assessed. Weaning refers to the gradual process of reducing ventilatory support, allowing the patient to take over their own breathing. This is crucial following sedation, particularly after abdominal surgery, since adequate respiratory function is essential for recovery.

In the immediate post-operative period, the patient may still be experiencing effects from sedatives that can suppress respiratory drive. Therefore, if they are stabilizing appropriately and showing signs of awakening, the respiratory therapist would typically initiate the weaning process if the patient demonstrates the ability to maintain adequate ventilation without mechanical assistance.

Monitoring closely is certainly important to ensure that the patient is recovering appropriately, but the next logical step in this scenario, given the patient's awakening, is to progress towards weaning them off any support they may have been on. Checking end-tidal CO2, while essential for assessing the adequacy of ventilation, serves as a supportive measure rather than a primary course of action in this situation. Ambulation is typically performed later in recovery, once the patient's condition is assessed as stable for safe movement and deeper breathing efforts.