Final answer:
In the care plan for a child with heart disease and heart failure, a nurse should include administering diuretics as needed, limiting fluid intake, and ensuring a low-sodium diet. Physical activity should be tailored and supervised based on the child's condition.
Step-by-step explanation:
When creating a plan of care for a school-age child with heart disease who has developed heart failure, a nurse should consider several interventions that have been recommended by cardiologists for this condition. These interventions often revolve around managing fluid volume and electrolyte balance to alleviate symptoms and prevent further complications.
Administer diuretics as needed is a key intervention. Diuretics help reduce fluid overload by increasing urine production, which is crucial in heart failure management. By promoting the excretion of excess fluid, diuretics help decrease the workload on the heart, reducing symptoms and improving overall cardiac function.
Limit fluid intake is another important aspect of care. Since heart failure can lead to fluid accumulation, managing the amount of fluid a child consumes can help to prevent exacerbations of heart failure.
It is not appropriate to encourage increased physical activity without careful assessment and advice from a healthcare provider. While some physical activity might be part of a supervised exercise program, overall exertion needs to be carefully balanced according to the child's condition.
Lastly, it is not advisable to provide a high-sodium diet. Sodium can cause fluid retention, which can worsen heart failure. A low-sodium diet is typically recommended to help manage the symptoms of heart failure.