When being discharged home, to assess fluid balance, a client with heart failure should be instructed to:
Monitor blood pressure.
Assess radial pulses.
Monitor bowel movements.
Monitor weight daily.
The Correct Answer is D
A. Monitor blood pressure – While important, blood pressure changes are not the most sensitive or early indicator of fluid retention in heart failure.
B. Assess radial pulses – Pulse assessment can reflect cardiac output, but it does not directly indicate fluid balance.
C. Monitor bowel movements – Bowel function is not typically affected by fluid balance in heart failure and is not a relevant measure.
D. Monitor weight daily – Daily weight monitoring is the most accurate and early indicator of fluid retention in clients with heart failure. A weight gain of 2–3 pounds in a day or 5 pounds in a week may indicate fluid overload and should be reported to the healthcare provider.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Splinter hemorrhages are a common sign of infective endocarditis but are not immediately life-threatening.
B. Fever is a typical manifestation of infection and expected in infective endocarditis, not a priority unless unresponsive to treatment.
C. Clusters of petechiae in the mouth indicate microemboli or vascular involvement, but they are not an acute threat.
D. Dyspnea is the priority finding because it may indicate heart failure or pulmonary embolism, both of which are serious complications of infective endocarditis and require immediate intervention.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Sick sinus syndrome – This involves an abnormal SA node function, often with varying rhythm disturbances (e.g., sinus pauses, bradycardia-tachycardia). The strip described is regular and does not reflect these changes.
B. Normal sinus rhythm – The rhythm is regular, the PR interval is within normal limits (0.12–0.20 seconds), the heart rate is 60 beats/min (within the normal range of 60–100), and P waves precede each QRS complex consistently.
C. Sinus bradycardia – Although the rate is 60, which is at the low end of normal, it is not below 60. Bradycardia is defined as <60 bpm.
D. First-degree heart block – First-degree AV block is characterized by a prolonged PR interval >0.20 seconds. The PR interval here is 0.16 seconds, which is normal.
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