A nurse is caring for a client who has a closed wound drainage system. Which of the following interventions should the nurse perform to assess the amount of drainage?
Mark the drainage output on the collection chamber every 48 hours.
Strip the chest tube vigorously to dislodge blood clots.
Maintain the collection chamber below the client’s chest.
Add water to the water seal chamber as it evaporates.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: Marking drainage output every 48 hours is too infrequent to accurately assess drainage in a closed wound drainage system. Frequent monitoring (e.g., every shift) is needed to track output, detect complications like excessive bleeding, and ensure system functionality, making this intervention inadequate for assessment.
Choice B reason: Stripping the chest tube vigorously is not recommended, as it can increase intrathoracic pressure, risking tissue damage or bleeding. It does not assess drainage amount but manipulates the tube, potentially causing harm. Assessment requires observing output in the collection chamber, making this action incorrect.
Choice C reason: Maintaining the collection chamber below the client’s chest ensures proper drainage by gravity in a closed wound drainage system, like a chest tube. This position prevents backflow and allows accurate measurement of drainage output in the chamber, essential for assessing fluid loss and detecting complications like hemothorax.
Choice D reason: Adding water to the water seal chamber maintains system function but does not directly assess drainage amount. The water seal prevents air re-entry, not measures output. Assessment involves observing and recording drainage in the collection chamber, making this action irrelevant to the question’s focus.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: Limiting potassium intake is dangerous with digoxin, as low potassium (hypokalemia) increases the risk of digoxin toxicity by enhancing drug binding to cardiac cells. Adequate potassium levels are critical for safe use, as digoxin affects cardiac contractility, making this instruction incorrect and potentially harmful.
Choice B reason: Repeating a digoxin dose if the child vomits within 1 hour is unsafe without medical consultation, as it risks overdose. Digoxin has a narrow therapeutic index, and toxicity can cause arrhythmias. Parents should contact the provider for guidance, making this instruction incorrect and dangerous.
Choice C reason: Adding digoxin to juice risks inaccurate dosing, as the child may not consume the full amount, leading to underdosing or toxicity if additional doses are given. Precise administration (e.g., via syringe) ensures correct dosing, critical for digoxin’s narrow therapeutic range, making this instruction inappropriate.
Choice D reason: Having the child drink water after digoxin ensures the dose is fully swallowed, preventing loss from spitting or incomplete ingestion. This supports accurate dosing, essential for digoxin’s safe use in heart failure, where it enhances cardiac output. This instruction is safe and effective, making it correct.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Restricting fluids to 1,200 mL per day is not indicated post-hernia repair unless specific conditions like heart failure exist. Adequate hydration supports recovery and prevents complications like constipation. This restriction is arbitrary and potentially harmful, making it an incorrect plan component.
Choice B reason: Encouraging deep breathing exercises every 2 hours prevents pulmonary complications like atelectasis or pneumonia, common risks post-hernia repair due to anesthesia and pain-limited breathing. This promotes lung expansion and oxygenation, aligning with evidence-based postoperative care, making it the correct intervention.
Choice C reason: Applying a warm compress to the surgical site is not recommended, as it may increase swelling or risk infection in the early postoperative period. Cool compresses, if needed, reduce edema. This intervention lacks evidence and could harm healing, making it inappropriate.
Choice D reason: Limiting ambulation for 48 hours delays recovery, as early mobility post-hernia repair reduces complications like thromboembolism and promotes healing. Patients are typically encouraged to walk within hours, making this restriction counterproductive and against standard postoperative protocols, thus incorrect.
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