Post Cosmetic Surgery Care: Do You Need a Home Nurse?

You’ve done all your research and have made the decision to move forward with your cosmetic surgery. Congratulations! You and your plastic surgeon have a great surgical plan in place, and there is every reason to believe you’ll be pleased with the results.

But have you planned for your post-op care? Plastic surgery, as with any major procedure, can take a lot out of you. You may hope for the best, but you need to plan for a more realistic recovery period.

You will need some downtime to heal. You may need pain medication. You will likely need assistance with bathroom activities and more. So, what’s your plan? Do you need to hire a home nurse?

To find out what type of help you might need, as yourself:

• How’s your pain tolerance? Are you a grin-and-bear it sort of person or are you very sensitive to discomfort? Even if you can handle pain well, you may still need assistance with taking medications on schedule.

• Are your squeamish? How do you react to blood, bruising, the sight of wounds, stitches or staples? There will likely be drains to monitor and empty and wounds to tend to in the week or two after your cosmetic surgery.

• What’s your living situation? Is your home on one level, or can you stay on one level and have everything accessible to you (bathroom, bedroom, kitchen)?

• Besides taking care of yourself, what other responsibilities do you have at home? Are you the primary caregiver for your children? Are you in charge of meal prep, shopping and cleaning?

Here is, perhaps, the most important question you should ask yourself. Do you have someone who has the time and ability to assist you with even your most personal of after-care needs? This is critically important. Be honest with yourself. Your partner, friends or adult children might be absolutely willing to help you. They want to do their best.

But is their best what you need? Do they have work and other responsibilities that will ensure they cannot be by your side 24/7 if and when you need assistance?

After careful consideration of your answers to the above questions, and a candid chat with your cosmetic surgeon, you may want to consider professional home care, after your procedure.

Choosing a Post Cosmetic Surgery Care Provider

When choosing an at-home care provider, be sure to ask the right questions, that are relevant to your own situation. Here are some great questions to ask:

• Are your nurses licensed practitioners (LPNs, RNs)?

• Do you nurses have specific experience caring for post operative cosmetic patients?

• How often and how long with the nurse stay with me each day?

• Will my nurse be by my side overnight?

• Will the nurse dispense my pain medication?

• Does the nurse manage wounds and dressing changes?

• Is the nurse capable of recognizing when there is a problem with my surgery site (infection or other healing issues)

• Will the nurse assist me with toileting and bathing?

• Will I have the same nurse for the duration of my recovery?

• What other tasks will the recovery care nurse perform?

There are many other issues to discuss, that may be more personalized to your own needs, but you want to be sure to select a provider that will be able to assist you with the challenges you anticipate you may encounter.

Having personal and private nursing care after your procedure is a great way to eliminate the stress of post-op “what ifs.” The comfort of knowing that a professional is there for you is reassuring for you and your family and worth every penny.

You owe it to yourself to learn more about CosMed At Home and the services our experienced, licensed post cosmetic surgery nurses will provide you—24/7 for as long as you need us.