Question

The nurse is caring for a patient admitted with mitral valve regurgitation. Which information obtained by the nurse should be reported to the health care provider immediately? a. The patient has 4+ peripheral edema.

b. The patient has diffuse bilateral crackles.
c. The patient has a loud systolic murmur across the precordium.
d. The patient has a palpable thrill felt over the left anterior chest.

Answer 1

The nurse should report the presence of diffuse bilateral crackles to the health care provider immediately.

Step-by-step explanation:

The information that the nurse should report to the health care provider immediately is b. The patient has diffuse bilateral crackles. The presence of crackles indicates fluid in the lungs, which can be a sign of worsening mitral valve regurgitation and potentially lead to pulmonary edema. This requires immediate medical attention to prevent further complications.