Asked by Junior Anton on May 15, 2024
Verified
The nurse is prescreening a surgical patient in the preadmission testing unit. The medication history indicates that the patient is currently taking an anticoagulant. Which action should the nurse take when consulting with the health care provider?
A) Ask for a radiological examination of the chest.
B) Ask for an international normalized ratio (INR) .
C) Ask for a blood urea nitrogen (BUN) .
D) Ask for a serum sodium (Na) .
AntiCOAGulant
A medication used to prevent or reduce blood coagulation (clotting), often prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack.
International Normalized Ratio
A blood test value that measures the time it takes for blood to clot and compares it to an average.
Preadmission Testing
Medical tests conducted before admission to a hospital or before an operation to assess the patient's health status and risk factors.
- Comprehend which medications should be withheld or stopped prior to surgery and the rationale behind these decisions.
Verified Answer
VP
Vianca PriceMay 17, 2024
Final Answer :
B
Explanation :
INR, PT (prothrombin time), APTT (activated partial thromboplastin time), and platelet counts reveal the clotting ability of the blood. Anticoagulants can be utilized for different conditions, but its action is to increase the time it takes for the blood to clot. This action can put the surgical patient at risk for bleeding tendencies. Typically, if at all possible, this medication is held several days before a surgical procedure to decrease this risk. Chest x-ray, BUN, and Na are diagnostic screening tools for surgery but are not specific to anticoagulants.
Learning Objectives
- Comprehend which medications should be withheld or stopped prior to surgery and the rationale behind these decisions.