A 26-year-old woman is admitted to the hospital with abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding. She is diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy in the fallopian tube. The patient begins to cry and asks the nurse to leave her alone to grieve. Which action by the nurse is appropriate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Because the patient is at risk for rupture of the fallopian tube and hemorrhage, frequent monitoring of vital signs is needed. The patient has asked to be left alone, so staying with her and assessing her emotional status frequently is inappropriate. Leaving the patient alone for several hours is unsafe because of the risk for hemorrhage. Because nonsurgical options to terminate the pregnancy are available, preoperative teaching is inappropriate until it is determined that the patient will actually have surgery.

A 26-Year-Old Woman Is Admitted to the Hospital with Abdominal