A newly admitted patient who is morbidly obese asks the nurse to assist her to the bathroom for the first time.What should the nurse do first?
A) Ask for at least two other assistive personnel to come to the room.
B) Medicate the patient to alleviate discomfort while ambulating.
C) Offer the patient a walker.
D) Review the patient's activity orders.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Before intervening,the nurse must check the patient's orders.For example,if the patient is on bed rest,the nurse will need to explain the use of a bedpan rather than helping the patient get out of bed to go to the bathroom.Interventions sometimes will be determined by orders and availability of resources.Asking for assistive personnel is appropriate after making sure the patient can get out of bed.If the patient is obese,the nurse will likely need assistance in getting the patient to the bathroom.Medicating the patient before checking the orders is not advised in this situation.Before medicating for pain,the nurse needs to perform a pain assessment.Offering the patient a walker is a premature intervention until the orders are verified.

A Newly Admitted Patient Who Is Morbidly Obese Asks the Nurse