Practise that rewires performance.

I would recognise a time-critical postoperative deterioration, call the surgical registrar and anaesthetics immediately, and assess and resuscitate in parallel using ABCDE. I would ensure continuous monitoring, obtain large-bore IV access and send urgent bloods including group and crossmatch. I would examine the abdomen, wound and drains, review the operation note and quantify likely blood loss. If bleeding remained the leading concern, I would activate the appropriate local major haemorrhage pathway and involve theatre early. Imaging would only be considered if the patient were stable enough and it would change management. I would keep the patient informed and reassess continuously.

My opening would make three priorities explicit: recognise shock, resuscitate while identifying the cause, and escalate early for definitive control. I would call senior surgical and anaesthetic support, use an ABCDE approach with continuous monitoring, secure IV access and send urgent investigations including crossmatch. I would look for postoperative haemorrhage or sepsis by reviewing the observations, examination, wound, drains and operation note. I would activate local emergency pathways as indicated and prepare for theatre if instability or suspected bleeding persisted, without delaying definitive management for imaging. Throughout, I would communicate with the patient, document decisions and repeatedly reassess the response.