An algorithm for nursing care of a patient prior and post rhinoplasty

Aims and objectives: The aim of this paper was to obtain and analyze clinical nursing practices in dealing with patients operated for posttraumatic nose deformity. Methods. The survey was carried out among nurses from university hospitals who work with patients undergoing posttraumatic rhinoplasty. The examined nurses (n=66) were recruited from: Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Clinic (15 nurses from one hospital), Otolaryngology Department (26 nurses from three hospitals) and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic (25 nurses from two hospitals). Results. The obtained data was critically assessed by plastic surgery specialists and an algorithm of nursing care for these patients was created. It was developed by analyzing knowledge and practices of the experienced nurses and recommendations of plastic surgeons. Conclusion. We presented a simple algorithm for nursing care in patients undergoing posttraumatic rhinoplasty, which can be helpful in clinical practice and can be used for education purposes.