The nurse reviews a client's laboratory results before surgery and notes a fasting blood glucose of 120 mg/dL, a prothrombin time (PT) of 25 seconds, and potassium (K+) of 3.8 mEq/L. Which action by the nurse is best?
a. Ask the surgeon for additional laboratory studies.
b. Administer a potassium supplement of 20 mEq.
c. Increase the IV infusion of D5W to 100 mL/hr.
d. Record laboratory results on the preopera-tive assessment.
A
The prothrombin time is elevated, which could lead to bleeding during or after surgery. The surgeon and the anesthesiologist should be notified of this laboratory test result right away, and additional coagulation studies will be needed. The potassium is within normal limits. The blood glucose level is elevated but not critically so. The surgeon should be notified of all laboratory work, and the client may need an IV solution without glucose. The results should be recorded, but the surgery will likely be cancelled owing to the coagulation problem, which is the priority concern with this client.
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