Nursing management of postoperative hemorrhagic shock: A case study in intensive care

Introduction Postoperative hemorrhagic shock is a time-critical complication associated with high morbidity and mortality, particularly in older surgical patients, requiring rapid, coordinated management in the intensive care unit (ICU). This case report describes specialized nursing management guided by the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP®/CIPE®) and Benner's Clinical Wisdom Theory.Case presentation An 89-year-old woman underwent emergency gastrojejunostomy for intestinal obstruction and subsequently developed hemorrhagic shock with profound anemia (hemoglobin nadir 5.8 g/dL), severe hyperlactatemia (12 mmol/L), hypothermia (33.6 °C), peripheral hypoperfusion, and hypotension (mean arterial pressure Discussion The patient progressively stabilized, with hemoglobin increasing to 9.6 g/dL, lactate decreasing to <1 mmol/L, normothermia recovery, discontinuation of vasopressors, and no documented ICU-acquired complications during the ICU stay. This case highlights how standardized nursing language (ICNP®/CIPE®), combined with advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-based ICU bundles, can improve the structure, traceability, and continuity of nursing care in postoperative hemorrhagic shock.