Question

A nurse is providing preoperative teaching for a client who is scheduled for a mastectomy. Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

a. 'Breast reconstruction will be done during the same surgery.'

b. 'You will have a drain in place after the surgery.'

c. 'Your arm on the affected side will need to be immobilized.'

d. 'You can resume normal activities immediately after the surgery.'

Answer 1

The correct statement for a nurse to give a client scheduled for a mastectomy is to inform them about the presence of a surgical drain after the procedure. This helps manage postoperative care by preventing fluid build-up. Other options may not be universally applicable or may be misleading concerning postoperative expectations and care.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse providing preoperative teaching for a client scheduled for a mastectomy should include significant postoperative care information. The appropriate statement for the nurse to make is: 'You will have a drain in place after the surgery.' This is because after a mastectomy, it's common to have a surgical drain to prevent fluid accumulation in the space where the breast tissue was removed.

Statements about breast reconstruction being done during the same surgery are not always accurate, as it depends on individual circumstances and may not apply to every patient. Therefore, it's misleading to state this definitively. Similarly, telling a patient that their arm will need to be immobilized is not accurate standard care following a mastectomy. Patients are actually encouraged to perform specific exercises to maintain mobility and prevent complications like lymphedema. Lastly, it's not correct to say that normal activities can be resumed immediately after surgery, as recovery time is necessary.