A client who had knee replacement surgery receives a prescription for enoxaparin 30 mg subcutaneously every 12 hours for 10 days. The medication is available in 30 mg per 0.3 mL prefilled syringes. How many mL should the practical nurse (PN) administer each day? (Enter numerical value only.).

The correct answer is choice D - Bilateral lung sounds.

Choice A rationale:

Heart sounds. While assessing heart sounds is crucial, the question specifically mentions complications of left-sided heart failure, which primarily affects the lungs. Therefore, assessing lung sounds is a higher priority in this situation.

Choice B rationale:

Mood and affect. While assessing the client's mood and affect is important for holistic care, it is not the most critical assessment to implement first in the case of left-sided heart failure complications.

Choice C rationale:

Chest pain. Although chest pain may be a symptom of left-sided heart failure complications, assessing bilateral lung sounds takes precedence as it directly relates to the client's respiratory status.

Choice D rationale:

Bilateral lung sounds. In left-sided heart failure, fluid can accumulate in the lungs, leading to pulmonary congestion and impaired gas exchange. Therefore, assessing lung sounds helps identify any respiratory distress early on, allowing prompt intervention and prevention of further complications.

Choice A rationale:

Crushing the medication and administering it in applesauce might alter its pharmacokinetics, rendering it ineffective or causing it to act too quickly. Sublingual tablets are designed to dissolve under the tongue for rapid absorption into the bloodstream. Crushing the tablet and mixing it with applesauce could change its intended mode of action.

Choice B rationale:

Placing the tablet under the client's tongue is the correct action for a sublingual tablet. Sublingual administration allows the medication to dissolve directly into the bloodstream through the sublingual mucosa, bypassing the digestive system and providing rapid onset of action.

Choice C rationale:

Obtaining a liquid form of the medication might be an option, but it may not always be available. Additionally, some medications are not available in liquid forms, and the liquid form might have a slower onset of action compared to the sublingual route.

Choice D rationale:

Placing the tablet inside the client's cheek is known as the buccal route of administration. While this route is also for oral absorption, sublingual administration is preferred for specific medications designed for rapid absorption.