A nurse is assisting with the care of a client who is 6 hr postoperative following a right total knee arthroplasty. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Maintain the head of the client's bed in high-Fowler's position.
Remove the client's dressing when it becomes saturated.
Check the client's pedal pulses every hour.
Place an abductor wedge under the client's right knee.
The Correct Answer is C
A nurse assisting with the care of a client who is 6 hours postoperative following a right total knee arthroplasty should check the client's pedal pulses every hour. This is important to assess the adequacy of blood flow and tissue perfusion to the extremity.
It is also important to monitor the client's pain level, administer pain medication as ordered, and encourage the client to perform exercises as appropriate.
The head of the client's bed should be maintained in a semi-Fowler's position to promote optimal respiratory function, and the client's dressing should be changed only as needed and with sterile technique.
An abductor wedge is not typically used following knee arthroplasty surgery.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
It is important for the nurse to acknowledge the client's fears and show empathy toward them. By saying "This must be very frightening for you," the nurse validates the client's feelings and shows that they are being heard. Additionally, by suggesting that they talk more about it, the nurse can work towards building a therapeutic relationship with the client and gain more insight into their thought processes.
The other options are not appropriate because:
a. The nurse should not deny the client's beliefs or try to convince them that they are wrong. This can cause
the client to feel invalidated which may make them less likely to trust the nurse.
c. While it is important to understand the client's perspective, this question may come off as confrontational and accusatory.
d. Similarly, this question may be perceived as confrontational and may make the client defensive. It is important to approach the client with empathy and understanding rather than skepticism.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
This is done by aspirating a small amount of stomach contents and testing the pH using pH paper or a pH indicator strip. The pH of stomach contents is typically acidic (pH less than 5), indicating proper placement in the stomach.
Injecting air and listening for bubbling is not a reliable method to verify tube placement, as it can lead to complications such as pneumothorax.
Measuring gastric residual is done to assess the amount of gastric contents remaining in the stomach, but it does not confirm tube placement.
Adding food coloring to the formula is not a standard practice and does not provide reliable confirmation of tube placement.
X-ray is the gold standard method to confirm tube placement but is not typically done before every intermittent feeding unless there are concerns about tube placement
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