A 65-year-old female patient is scheduled for an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to gallstones. During the preoperative assessment, the nurse explains the therapeutic procedure. The patient is informed that this minimally invasive technique is performed through small incisions in the abdominal wall.
In order to effectively manage pain postoperatively, the nurse discusses the use of an analgesic regimen. The patient asks how many days she should expect to use the prescribed analgesics after the surgery.
Considering the typical recovery process for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, fill in the blank: The nurse educates the patient that she should anticipate taking analgesics for approximately ______ days after her procedure.