Final answer:
In assessing a client with left-sided heart failure, the nurse should monitor for pulmonary crackles, confusion or restlessness, pulmonary hypertension, an S3/S4 summation gallop, and a cough that worsens at night. Dependent edema is typically associated with right-sided heart failure, so it may not be a prominent feature in left-sided failure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse assessing a client with left-sided heart failure will assess for several conditions. These can include:
- Pulmonary crackles, which are indicative of fluid accumulation in the lungs, often due to the inefficiency of the left ventricle to pump blood effectively leading to pulmonary congestion.
- Confusion or restlessness, which can be a result of decreased oxygenation to the brain due to poor cardiac output.
- Pulmonary hypertension, which occurs when there is an increased blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries. This can be a consequence of the increased pressures from the left heart failure leading to resistance to blood flow in the lungs.
- Dependent edema is not commonly assessed for in left-sided heart failure, as it is more related to right-sided heart failure.
- An S3/S4 summation gallop, which are extra heart sounds that can indicate fluid overload and heart failure.
- A cough that worsens at night, which can occur due to fluid accumulation in the lungs when lying down.
It is important to monitor these symptoms as they can inform the severity and progress of the heart failure.