The laboratory results on a specimen from this morning are printed on the unit and the attending provider saw the client 2 hours ago. Which interventions should the nurse implement? (Select all that apply.)

Question

1. Compare data to client trends over time.
2. Send the report to the physician's office.
3. Use data to evaluate client's nursing care.
4. Compare the findings with expected values.
5. Copy report for the client for health records.
6. Inform provider that laboratory results are available.

Answer 1

1, 3, 4
1. The nurse analyzes the results of the same test over several days to detect a trend in the values, either up or down, and to associate contributing factors to the changing results.
3. The nurse receives laboratory results and analyzes the results against the client's plan of care to identify potential alterations and to choose new interventions to add to the plan.
4. The nurse compares the client's laboratory result with the normal range established by the laboratory performing the test and determines whether the client's value is within normal limits for the laboratory. If the results are outside of expected range of values, the nurse plans follow-up nursing interventions to maintain client health and well-being or to restore health and notifies the provider as needed.
2 and 6. The nurse can call the provider with significant results but does not send the results to the office. The nurse also avoids informing the provider that results are available because it displays a lack of critical thinking.
5. The nurse follows agency policy about copying hospital documents for the client.