A patient asks the nurse, "What's going to happen to me now that my spleen is gone?" What is an appropriate nursing response?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The spleen plays a role in filtering blood and fighting infections, but its functions can be taken over by other organs in the body such as the liver and bone marrow. Therefore, the patient's liver and bone marrow will resume its function after spleen removal. Avoiding colds and flu may be important for someone with a compromised immune system, but it is not necessarily related to spleen removal. Saying that the spleen removal was not necessary may be inappropriate or incorrect.

A Patient Asks the Nurse, "What's Going to Happen to Me