Clinical profile, nursing diagnoses and nursing care for postoperative bariatric surgery patients.

Objective To analyze the clinical profile, nursing diagnoses, and nursing care established for postoperative bariatric surgery patients. Method Cross-sectional study carried out in a hospital in southern Brazil with a sample of 143 patients. Data were collected retrospectively from electronic medical records between 2011 and 2012 and analyzed statistically. Results We found a predominance of adult female patients (84%) with class III obesity (59.4%) and hypertension (72%). Thirty-five nursing diagnoses were reported, among which the most frequent were: Acute Pain (99.3%), Risk for perioperative positioning injury (98.6%), and Impaired tissue integrity (93%). The most frequently prescribed nursing care were: to use protection mechanisms in the surgical patient positioning, to record pain as 5th vital sign, and to take vital signs. There was an association between age and comorbidities. Conclusion The nursing diagnoses supported the nursing care prescription, which enables the qualification of nursing assistance.