Question

The nurse is discharging home a client at risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) on low-molecular-weight heparin. What instruction does the nurse provide to this client?

a. "You must have your aPTT checked every 2 weeks."
b. "Massage the injection site after the heparin is injected."
c. "Notify your health care provider if your stools appear tarry."
d. "An IV catheter will be placed to administer your heparin."

Answer 1

The nurse should instruct the client to notify their healthcare provider if their stools appear tarry.

Step-by-step explanation:

When discharging a client at risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) on low-molecular-weight heparin, the nurse should provide the instruction to notify their health care provider if their stools appear tarry. This is because tarry stools can indicate gastrointestinal bleeding, which is a potential side effect of heparin. Checking the aPTT every 2 weeks (option a) is not necessary since low-molecular-weight heparin does not require monitoring of aPTT levels. Massage of the injection site (option b) is not recommended as it can lead to bruising and tissue damage. Lastly, an IV catheter is not needed for administration of low-molecular-weight heparin (option d).