A client is receiving IV heparin and oral warfarin after a pulmonary embolism (PE). The nurse determines the client's activated partial prothromboplastin time (APTT) value is two times the control value; the prothrombin time (PT) level is the same as the control, and the international normalized ratio (INR) is 1. Which protocol prescription should the nurse implement?

Reference Range:

Activated Partial Prothromboplastin Time (APTT) [Anticoagulant therapy: 1.5 to 2 times the control value in seconds.] Prothromboplastin Time (PT) [Anticoagulant therapy: greater than 1.5 to 2 times the control value.] International Normalized Ratio (INR) [0.8 to 1.1]

- Urinary output is an important indicator of fluid balance and kidney function. After delivery, a woman may experience increased urinary output due to the loss of excess fluid that was retained during pregnancy and the diuretic effect of oxytocin, which is released during breastfeeding. This is a normal and expected finding in the postpartum period.

- However, increased urinary output may also be a sign of urinary retention, which is the inability to empty the bladder completely. Urinary retention can occur due to trauma to the bladder or urethra during delivery, swelling or hematoma of the perineum, epidural anesthesia, or decreased bladder sensation. Urinary retention can lead to complications such as infection, bladder distension, or postpartum hemorrhage.

- Therefore, when a woman who delivered a normal newborn 24 hours ago reports that she seems to be urinating every hour or so, the practical nurse (PN) should measure the next voiding, and then palpate the client's bladder. This will help to assess the amount and quality of urine and the presence or absence of bladder distension. A normal urine output is about 30 ml per hour, and a normal bladder should feel soft and empty after voiding. If the urine output is low or high, or if the bladder feels firm or full after voiding, the PN should report these findings to the primary healthcare provider for further evaluation and intervention.

Therefore, option B is the correct answer, while options A, C, and D are incorrect.

Option A is incorrect because catheterizing the client for residual urine volume is an invasive procedure that should only be done if indicated by the primary healthcare provider.

Option C is incorrect because evaluating for normal involution and massaging the fundus are related to uterine function, not urinary function.

Option D is incorrect because obtaining a specimen for urine culture and sensitivity is not necessary unless there are signs of infection, such as fever, dysuria, or foul-smelling urine.

Demonstrate how to administer medication via a feeding tube.The picture shows that the newly hired PN is about to make a serious error by adding the medication directly to the feeding bag, which can cause clogging, contamination, or inaccurate dosing of the medication. The PN should demonstrate how to administer medication via a feeding tube correctly, which involves stopping the feeding, flushing the tube with water, instilling the medication, flushing again, and resuming the feeding.

The other options are not correct because:

1. Confirming that the medication is only administered once daily is not relevant or helpful, as it does not address the error or teach the correct technique of administering medication via a feeding tube.Determining if the medication is compatible with the solution is not necessary or appropriate, as the medication should not be mixed with the solution in the first place, but given separately through the feeding tube.
2. Offering to assist in calculating the rate of flow for the mixture is not relevant or helpful, as there should be no mixture of medication and solution in the feeding bag, but separate administration of each through the feeding tube.