Question

The health care provider orders a liver/spleen scan for a patient who has been in a motor vehicle accident. Which action should the nurse take before this procedure?

a. Check for any iodine allergy.
b. Insert a large-bore IV catheter.
c. Place the patient on NPO status.
d. Assist the patient to a flat position.

Answer 1

Before a liver/spleen scan, the nurse should place the patient on NPO status; this is typically required to ensure optimal imaging quality.

Step-by-step explanation:

Before a liver/spleen scan, which is a type of nuclear imaging test, it is important to consider patient preparation. For such procedures involving radioactive tracers, one of the primary concerns is whether a patient has any allergies, specifically to iodine, as it is commonly used in radiopharmaceuticals. However, as a liver/spleen scan may not necessarily use iodine, it is still important to check the specific tracer that will be used and prepare accordingly.

The appropriate action to take before this procedure would be NPO status (c). Patients are commonly requested to fast (NPO status) before a nuclear scan to ensure the best quality images. Other actions, such as checking for iodine allergy (a), may not be immediately relevant for a liver/spleen scan unless it is confirmed the tracer used is iodine-based. Inserting a large-bore IV catheter (b) is typically a preparation step for infusion of IV fluids or medications, which might not be relevant to the scan itself. Placing the patient in a flat position (d) may be part of the positioning for the scan but is not necessarily a preparatory action.