The nurse is planning care for patients with hypertension. What side effect should be included with teaching about the beta blocker propranolol (Inderal)?

A. Lying prone as prescribed: While lying prone can help prevent hip flexion contractures, it is not directly related to promoting ambulation. It is typically part of post-operative care to prevent contractures in the hip, but ambulation primarily depends on upper body strength and prosthetic training.
B. Maintaining residual limb elevation: Elevation of the residual limb is important immediately postoperatively to reduce swelling, but prolonged elevation can lead to contractures, which can hinder ambulation.
C. Promoting coordination exercises: Coordination is important, but for ambulation, building strength, especially in the upper body, is crucial to support the use of assistive devices and maintaining balance.
D. Building upper body strength: This is essential for promoting ambulation as it helps the patient in using assistive devices like crutches or walkers and in transferring safely. Upper body strength is crucial for balance and mobility with a prosthetic limb.

Correct answer: A
A. Monitoring for infection: Infection is a significant risk with external fixation devices due to the presence of pins that penetrate the skin and soft tissues. Monitoring for signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, discharge, or increased pain, is crucial.
B. Monitoring circulatory status: While circulatory status is important, especially in cases of limb injury or immobilization, it is not the most immediate concern compared to the risk of infection from the external fixation device.
C. Validating proper mobility: Ensuring proper mobility is important, but it is secondary to the prevention and detection of infection. Mobility assessments can be done after confirming that there are no infections or complications.
D. Checking discomfort level: While assessing discomfort is important for pain management and comfort, it is not as critical as monitoring for infection, which can lead to severe complications if not addressed promptly.