Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 76%
Simulated
Passage / Scenario
Four adult clients with laboratory resultsA home health nurse is planning her daily visits and receives laboratory results for four adult clients. The nurse should first visit the client who has which of the following laboratory values?
Correct answer
C
Rationale
The correct answer is C: Platelets 100,000/mm┬│. Low platelet count can indicate a risk of bleeding, which is a critical and potentially life-threatening condition. The nurse should prioritize visiting this client to assess for signs of bleeding and initiate appropriate interventions.
Choice A (Digoxin 1.0 ng/mL) is within the therapeutic range for digoxin, so it does not require immediate attention.
Choice B (WBC 6,000/mm┬│) is within the normal range and does not indicate an urgent issue.
Choice D (Serum potassium 4.0 mEq/L) is within the normal range, so it does not require immediate intervention.
In summary, the nurse should prioritize the client with low platelet count to address the risk of bleeding, as it poses the highest immediate threat to the client's health among the given options.
Choice A (Digoxin 1.0 ng/mL) is within the therapeutic range for digoxin, so it does not require immediate attention.
Choice B (WBC 6,000/mm┬│) is within the normal range and does not indicate an urgent issue.
Choice D (Serum potassium 4.0 mEq/L) is within the normal range, so it does not require immediate intervention.
In summary, the nurse should prioritize the client with low platelet count to address the risk of bleeding, as it poses the highest immediate threat to the client's health among the given options.