C3 · Feeling sick to the stomach
Actual Comfort and rest
Definition
An unpleasant urge to vomit, with or without actual vomiting.- Medicines
- surgery
- infection
- pregnancy
- pain
- strong smells
- Queasy feeling
- sweating
- drooling
- frequent swallowing
- pale skin
📋 Scenario
A patient after anesthesia feels sick and turns pale.
Subjective (S): "I feel like I'm going to throw up."
Objective (O): Pale and sweating; swallowing often; retching; just out of anesthesia; blood pressure normal.
Assessment tools for this scenario: CP-PAIN Pain & Comfort Score CP-SKIN Skin & Wound Score CP-BREATH Breathing & Circulation Check
Validated scales to consider: NRS 0–10, FLACC, PAINAD, Braden Scale, TIME wound chart, NEWS2, SpO₂, ECG
**CarePath diagnosis:** Feeling sick to the stomach related to medicines, as evidenced by queasy feeling and sweating.
**Interventions and rationale**
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Give anti-sickness drugs as ordered. | Anti-sickness medicines block the signals in the brain and gut that cause nausea, settling the urge to vomit. |
| Keep the air fresh. | Fresh air in a well-ventilated room reduces stuffiness and odors that can worsen nausea. |
| Offer small sips. | Small sips avoid overfilling the stomach, which can trigger vomiting, while still giving some fluid. |
| Avoid strong smells. | Strong smells from food, perfume or cleaning products can set off nausea, so avoiding them removes common triggers. |
| Give mouth care. | Mouth care removes unpleasant tastes and freshens the mouth, which makes nausea easier to bear. |
| Sit upright. | Sitting upright helps the stomach empty and lowers the risk of vomit being inhaled, especially just after anesthesia. |
**Expected outcomes**
- Within 30-60 minutes of treatment: nausea resolved or mild (under 3/10), tolerates sips, no vomiting.
**Linking the data to the diagnosis**
After anesthesia the patient says they feel like they are going to throw up. The nurse observed pale skin, sweating, frequent swallowing and retching, with a normal blood pressure. These are typical signs of nausea, and the timing right after anesthesia points to medicines as the cause. The nausea has already started, so this is an actual diagnosis. The plan aims for nausea to be resolved or mild (under 3/10) within 30 to 60 minutes of treatment, with the patient tolerating sips and not vomiting.
CarePath diagnosis
Feeling sick to the stomach related to medicines, as evidenced by queasy feeling and sweating.
Interventions and rationale
Listed in priority order.
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| 1. Give anti-sickness drugs as ordered. | Anti-sickness medicines block the signals in the brain and gut that cause nausea, settling the urge to vomit. |
| 2. Keep the air fresh. | Fresh air in a well-ventilated room reduces stuffiness and odors that can worsen nausea. |
| 3. Offer small sips. | Small sips avoid overfilling the stomach, which can trigger vomiting, while still giving some fluid. |
| 4. Avoid strong smells. | Strong smells from food, perfume or cleaning products can set off nausea, so avoiding them removes common triggers. |
| 5. Give mouth care. | Mouth care removes unpleasant tastes and freshens the mouth, which makes nausea easier to bear. |
| 6. Sit upright. | Sitting upright helps the stomach empty and lowers the risk of vomit being inhaled, especially just after anesthesia. |
Expected outcomes
- Within 30-60 minutes of treatment: nausea resolved or mild (under 3/10), tolerates sips, no vomiting.
Linking the data to the diagnosis
After anesthesia the patient says they feel like they are going to throw up. The nurse observed pale skin, sweating, frequent swallowing and retching, with a normal blood pressure. These are typical signs of nausea, and the timing right after anesthesia points to medicines as the cause. The nausea has already started, so this is an actual diagnosis. The plan aims for nausea to be resolved or mild (under 3/10) within 30 to 60 minutes of treatment, with the patient tolerating sips and not vomiting.