Ace the Certified Medical-Surgical RN Exam 2025 – Power Up Your Nursing Game!

Notifying a physician is crucial for ensuring patient safety and timely intervention in post-operative care. Abnormal vital signs can indicate complications such as infection, hemorrhage, or respiratory distress, and recognizing these changes promptly is essential for patient outcomes.

When vital signs are outside the expected range, it often necessitates further evaluation and intervention by the healthcare team. For instance, significantly elevated or decreased blood pressure, high heart rates, low oxygen saturation, or fevers can signal underlying issues requiring immediate medical attention. The nurse's responsibility includes vigilant monitoring, and any significant deviation from baseline values should trigger communication with the physician to prevent further complications.

It is important to differentiate this from scenarios that do not require immediate notification, such as routine check-ups or regular improvement, as those do not pose an immediate risk to the patient. Regular intervals for checking on the patient, such as every hour, may be standard, but that does not imply contacting the physician unless a specific concern arises.