Perioperative Nursing Care Standards in a SARS CoV-2 Infected Patient for Mandatory Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory corona virus-2 (SARS CoV-2) that started in late December 2019, lead to millions of infections and mortalities and disruption in routine clinical services, including surgical procedures. Such delay in routine; surgical procedures leads to a backlog of patients, including cardiac, planned for surgical interventions. The pandemic has presented healthcare workers with the unprecedented challenge of maintaining patient and personal safety dealing with patients, including surgical ones. The healthcare personnel in general and nurses caring confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infected patients in specific have a high risk of patients and self-safety concerns, especially under peri-operative care where aerosol-producing procedures are key components of care. Herein, we present the peri-operative nursing approach to a SARS CoV-2 infected patient, confirmed with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR), and remained positive as repeated four times in nearly four weeks, who underwent an essential coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), with specific focus to standard recommendations and protocols. Adherence by nursing staff to these recommended peri-operative protocols will mandate; both patient and nursing safety.