Question

The nurse is caring for a patient who takes warfarin (Coumadin) for prevention of deep vein thrombosis. The patient has an international normalized ratio (INR) of 1.2. Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?

Select one:
a. Prepare to administer protamine sulfate.
b. Continue with the current prescription.
c. Prepare to administer vitamin K.
d. Call the healthcare provider to increase the dose.

Answer 1

The nurse should call the healthcare provider to increase the warfarin dose for a patient with an INR of 1.2, as this level is below the therapeutic range for preventing DVT.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse is caring for a patient who takes warfarin (Coumadin) for prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The patient has an international normalized ratio (INR) of 1.2. The most appropriate action by the nurse would be to call the healthcare provider to increase the dose. Warfarin's therapeutic INR range for preventing and treating DVT typically falls between 2.0 and 3.0. An INR of 1.2 suggests that the blood is not as anticoagulated as it should be for the therapeutic effect, indicating the need for a dose adjustment. Neither preparation to administer protamine sulfate (the reversal agent for heparin) nor vitamin K (which reverses the effects of warfarin but is used in the case of an overdose or abnormally high INR) is appropriate in this scenario.