Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 71%
Practice
An appropriate nursing intervention for a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma whose platelet count drops to 18,000/┬ÁL during chemotherapy is to
Correct answer
A
Rationale
The correct answer is to check all stools for occult blood. With a platelet count of 18,000/┬ÁL, the patient is at a high risk of spontaneous bleeding. Checking stools for occult blood can help detect any internal bleeding early. Encouraging fluids and providing oral hygiene are important interventions in general, but in this case, monitoring for bleeding takes precedence. Checking the temperature every 4 hours is not directly related to the patient's current condition and platelet count.