Question

A patient having abdominal surgery had an estimated blood loss of 400 mL and received 300 mL of 0.9% normal saline. Postoperatively, the patient's blood pressure is 70/48 mm Hg. What treatment does the nurse anticipate administering?

a. Blood administration
b. IV fluid administration
c. An ECG to check circulatory status
d. Return to surgery to check for internal bleeding

Answer 1

The nurse would anticipate administering IV fluid to the patient to help restore blood volume and improve blood pressure.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse would anticipate administering IV fluid to the patient.

In this scenario, the patient had an estimated blood loss of 400 mL and received 300 mL of 0.9% normal saline. The postoperative blood pressure of 70/48 mm Hg indicates hypotension, which could be due to the fluid deficit from the surgery. Therefore, the nurse would anticipate administering intravenous fluids to help restore blood volume and improve blood pressure.