Question

A home care nurse is instructing a patient with congestive heart failure on daily self-monitoring between home care visits. The nurse should instruct the patient to monitor and record

Select all that apply.
1. weight.
2. pulse.
3. temperature.
4. blood pressure.
5. respiratory rate.

Answer 1

The home care nurse should advise the patient to monitor and record their weight, pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory rate, which are key indicators of health in individuals with congestive heart failure.

Step-by-step explanation:

Patients with congestive heart failure are often required to closely monitor certain health indicators to manage their condition effectively. The home care nurse should instruct the patient to monitor and record the following: their weight, which can indicate fluid retention; their pulse, to assess heart rate and rhythm; their blood pressure, which is crucial for understanding the heart's workload and the state of vascular resistance; and their respiratory rate, which can indicate breathing difficulties. Monitoring temperature may be less critical in daily self-monitoring for heart failure unless there are specific reasons for concern, such as concurrent infection. It's important to use reliable and easy-to-operate tools for these measurements, such as digital blood pressure monitors and pulse oximeters.