A nurse receives a call from a parent of a child who has von Willebrand disease and has had a nosebleed. Which of the following instructions should the nurse give to the parent?

Following a cardiac catheterization, the nurse should provide the parent with appropriate discharge instructions to ensure the child's proper recovery. The correct instruction to include is option B: "Give the child acetaminophen for discomfort."

Explanation:

Option A: Offering the child clear liquids for the first 24 hours is not a typical instruction following a cardiac catheterization. After the procedure, the child may be allowed to resume a regular diet, as tolerated, based on the healthcare provider's orders.

Option B: This is the correct instruction. After cardiac catheterization, the child may experience some discomfort at the insertion site or the area where the catheter was threaded through the blood vessels. Acetaminophen can be used to manage mild pain or discomfort.

Option C: Taking a tub bath for the first 3 days is not typically mentioned in discharge instructions after a cardiac catheterization. The nurse might advise the parent to avoid submerging the catheter insertion site in water for a specific period and instead use sponge baths until permitted by the healthcare provider.

Option D: Keeping the child home for 1 week is not a standard recommendation for a cardiac catheterization. The recovery period after a cardiac catheterization is usually shorter, and the child can often resume normal activities within a day or two, depending on the specific circumstances of the procedure and the child's condition.

The nurse should thoroughly review the specific discharge instructions provided by the healthcare provider and ensure the parent understands the care required at home, including any restrictions on activities or signs of potential complications that require immediate attention.

For a child with hemophilia experiencing a joint injury, the best home treatment and therapy would be elevation and the application of ice to the affected joint. This approach helps reduce swelling and minimize bleeding in the joint.
Option A (factor VIII concentrates) is a treatment for hemophilia but is typically administered intravenously to replace the deficient clotting factor in the blood. It is not a home treatment for joint injuries.
Option C (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - NSAIDs) may be used to manage pain and inflammation, but they do not address the underlying bleeding disorder in hemophilia or directly treat joint injuries.
Option D (DDAVP - synthetic vasopressin) is used in some types of hemophilia to temporarily raise factor VIII levels, but it is not typically used for joint injuries or as a home treatment.