Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 86%
Simulated
A nurse is preparing to administer a scheduled dose of warfarin to a client. Which of the following laboratory tests should the nurse review prior to administration?
Correct answer
B
Rationale
The correct answer is B: PT. The nurse should review the PT (Prothrombin Time) before administering warfarin because warfarin is an anticoagulant medication that works by inhibiting clotting factors. PT measures the extrinsic and common pathways of the coagulation cascade, which are affected by warfarin. Elevated PT indicates a risk of bleeding due to excessive anticoagulation. The other choices are incorrect because: A) PTT assesses the intrinsic pathway of coagulation, not directly affected by warfarin. C) Total iron-binding capacity is unrelated to warfarin therapy. D) WBC (White Blood Cell count) assesses immune function, not relevant for warfarin administration.