The nurse is preparing for a home visit to a patient with an external fixation device of the lower extremity. What priority care is anticipated?

A. Impaired Physical Mobility: This is not directly related to hypertension management. While hypertension can affect physical activity, it is not the primary focus in the context of managing high blood pressure.
B. Readiness for Enhanced Health Literacy: This is the correct focus. Educating the patient about hypertension management, lifestyle modifications, and medication adherence is crucial in managing and controlling blood pressure.
C. Decreased Activity Tolerance: This could be a related issue but is not the primary focus. It addresses the impact of hypertension on physical capacity rather than managing the condition itself.
D. Ineffective Airway Clearance: This is unrelated to hypertension. It focuses on respiratory issues rather than blood pressure management.

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.