Question

2. As a group, consider the teaching needs of a 40-year-old patient who will be given a neuromuscular junction blocking agent. Develop a teaching plan for this patient.

Answer 1

Neuromuscular blocking agents are usually used as a part of anaesthesia.

It causes skeltal muscle paralysis that enables better surgical exposure and increases ease of surgery.

It will paralyse respiratory muscles as well, so the patient will need mechanical ventillation.

These drugs are of different types with different durations of actions and are selected on the basis of requirement for surgery.

These drugs will undergo metabolism in the body and the patient will recover from the blockade. This will be timed with the patient waking up from anesthesia. Patient will be instructed to take deep breaths by the anaesthetist at the end of surgery.

Patient may feel slight weakness on waking up but this will disappear shortly.

The drug will be given only after the patient is under anesthesia and the patient won't be aware of the muscle paralysis.