The nurse is caring for a patient receiving chemotherapeutic agents and notices that the patient's neutrophil count is low.The nurse realizes that

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The survival time of neutrophils is short.When serious infection is present,neutrophils may live only hours as the neutrophils phagocytize infectious organisms.Because of this short life span,drugs that affect rapidly multiplying cells (e.g.,chemotherapeutic agents)quickly decrease the neutrophil count and alter the patient's ability to fight infection.An elevation in the neutrophil count usually indicates a bacterial infection."Bands" are immature neutrophils.The phrase "a shift to the left" refers to an increased number of "bands," or band neutrophils,compared with mature neutrophils on a complete blood count (CBC)report.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient Receiving Chemotherapeutic Agents