A client with liver cirrhosis complains of severe itching. Which term should the nurse use to document this symptom?

A) Transient elastography is not used to assess esophageal varices. Endoscopy is the primary method for diagnosing and grading the severity of esophageal varices in clients with liver cirrhosis.

B) Transient elastography is primarily used to assess the degree of liver fibrosis, not to evaluate liver function or enzyme levels. Liver function and enzyme levels are typically evaluated through blood tests, such as liver function tests (LFTs), which measure liver enzymes, bilirubin, albumin, and other markers of liver health and function.

C) Transient elastography is a non-invasive imaging technique used to assess liver stiffness, which correlates with the degree of fibrosis in the liver. It provides information about the presence and severity of liver fibrosis, aiding in the diagnosis and staging of liver cirrhosis.

D) Transient elastography is not used to identify hepatic encephalopathy. Hepatic encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric complication of advanced liver disease, and its diagnosis is based on clinical assessment, mental status evaluation, and laboratory tests. Transient elastography is not involved in identifying or diagnosing hepatic encephalopathy.

A. Encouraging the client to lie on the right side after a liver biopsy is essential because this position helps to apply pressure to the biopsy site, reducing the risk of bleeding.
B. While administering pain medication may be necessary, it is not the primary nursing action following a liver biopsy compared to ensuring hemostasis and preventing complications.
C. Monitoring vital signs is important, but in this case, vital signs should be checked more frequently than every 4 hours to assess for complications like bleeding. Initial monitoring is typically every 15 minutes for the first hour and then every 30 minutes to hourly based on facility protocols.
D. Although maintaining a supine position is typically advised, the focus should be on the right side position to ensure proper hemostasis following the biopsy procedure.