A nurse is assessing the vital signs of a post-operative client who is recovering from abdominal surgery. The client’s heart rate has steadily increased from 78 bpm to 102 bpm over the past two hours. What action should the nurse take as a priority?
Assess for other signs of hypovolemia or bleeding and notify the healthcare provider.
Continue to monitor the client’s heart rate and document the trend.
Provide pain management and reassess in another two hours.
Request a complete blood count (CBC) to check for decreased hemoglobin levels.
An increasing heart rate (tachycardia) in a post-operative client can indicate complications such as hypovolemia, pain, infection, or internal bleeding. Prioritizing further assessment of potential causes and notifying the healthcare provider ensures that the underlying issue is identified and managed promptly. Offering pain relief or requesting diagnostic tests are important but should be based on a more thorough assessment and provider input. Monitoring without action delays critical intervention.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What signs should I look for when assessing hypovolemia or bleeding in a post-operative patient?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
Why is it important to notify the healthcare provider during an increase in heart rate post-surgery?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
What are the potential complications of tachycardia in a post-operative patient?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
NCLEX RN
Physiological Integrity
Your Score:
Report Issue
Bash, the Crucial Exams Chat Bot
AI Bot
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Nursing and Medical Assistants Package Join Premium for Full Access