The nursing assistant reports that the client is dizzy during a warm sitz bath. Which should the nurse implement before returning the client to bed?

Question

1. Check client for tachycardia.
2. Dry off the client completely.
3. Ask client if able to ambulate.
4. State that dizziness is common.

Answer 1

1
1. The nurse assesses the client's vital signs, including the heart rate, to establish baseline data in response to the dizziness and to determine follow-up nursing care. The nurse wants to determine whether the client is stable enough to continue the sitz bath or ambulate back to bed with assistance or whether the client needs more inten-sive nursing care or emergency treatment. Unless a sphygmomanometer is readily available, taking the pulse is a good clinical indicator to evaluate hypotension indi-rectly because, when the blood pressure falls, the heart rate increases to maintain the cardiac output.
2. The client remains in place until the nurse assesses the client unless the client has a cardiovascular or chronic pulmonary condition and is shivering. If so, the nurse and nursing assistant should dry off the client, provide warm clothing, and return the client to bed.
3. After the nurse assesses the client's cardiovascular status, the nurse asks the client is the client is able to ambulate to the bed. The nurse and the assistant should assist the client.
4. Any client exposed to heat therapy responds with vasodilation; dizziness occurs when the client is unable to compensate quickly for the expanded vascular bed caused by vasodilation. Dizziness is a common response to a warm bath for clients who are older or who have cardiovascular, neurovascular, or chronic pulmonary con-ditions.