A nurse is caring for a child who is postoperative following a tonsillectomy.

Which of the following findings indicates that the child may be experiencing hemorrhage?

The correct answer is B. Hip arthroplasty 1 week ago.

Alteplase is a drug that dissolves blood clots by converting plasminogen to plasmin. It can be used for acute ischemic stroke, but it has some contraindications that depend on the indication and the type of administration of the drug. Some common contraindications for alteplase are hypersensitivity, active internal bleeding, history of intracranial hemorrhage, bleeding disorders, and high blood pressure. Other contraindications may vary depending on the specific condition and the time window of treatment. Alteplase can cause serious or fatal bleeding as a side effect.

Choice A is wrong because family history of malignant hypertension is not an absolute contraindication for alteplase, although uncontrolled hypertension (>185 mmHg SBP or >110 mmHg DBP) is.

Choice C is wrong because chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is not a contraindication for alteplase, although it may increase the risk of pulmonary hemorrhage.

Choice D is wrong because acute renal failure 6 months ago is not a contraindication for alteplase, although current use of direct thrombin inhibitors or direct factor Xa inhibitors is.

Normal ranges for blood pressure are <120/80 mmHg for normal, 120-129/<80 mmHg for elevated, 130-139/80-89 mmHg for stage 1 hypertension, and ≥140/≥90 mmHg for stage 2 hypertension.

Normal ranges for platelet count are 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood.

Normal ranges for INR are 0.8 to 1.2 for people who are not taking blood thinners and 2 to 3 for people who are taking warfarin.

Normal ranges for aPTT are 25 to 35 seconds for people who are not taking blood thinners and 46 to 70 seconds for people who are taking heparin.

The correct answer is choice A, administer a fluid bolus.

Choice A rationale:

Administering a fluid bolus is appropriate when a client’s urine output is low, which in this case is less than the minimum expected output of 30 mL/hr. The dark yellow color of the urine also suggests dehydration or concentrated urine, which can be addressed with increased fluid intake.

Choice B rationale:

Initiating continuous bladder irrigation is typically done to clear the urinary tract of blood clots or debris following urologic surgery, not for low urine output or dark urine. Therefore, this intervention is not indicated based on the given scenario.

Choice C rationale:

Obtaining a urine specimen for culture and sensitivity is an action taken when there is a suspicion of a urinary tract infection. The scenario does not provide evidence of infection, such as fever or cloudy urine with a strong odor, so this would not be the first intervention to anticipate.

Choice D rationale:

Clamping the catheter tubing is done in preparation for catheter removal or to assess if the client can void without the catheter. It is not an appropriate intervention for low urine output or dark urine and could potentially cause bladder distention or discomfort.