Identifying risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications

ABSTRACT
• POSTOPERATIVE PULMONARY complications are potentially preventable adverse events that are a major source of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Although these events occur more frequently than cardiac complications, less is known about how to predict their occurrence.
• THIS REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE identifies significant risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications.
• NURSES CAN BE INSTRUMENTAL in preventing postoperative pulmonary complications by identifying patients at risk for their development.