Question

A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has an implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD). Which of the following information should the nurse include?

A. The client cannot travel by air due to security screening
B. The client should hold his cell phone on the side opposite the ICD
C. The client should avoid the use of small electric devices
D. The client can carry his ICD in a small pocket

Answer 1

The client with an ICD should hold cell phones on the opposite side of the device, can travel by air but with precautions at security, should not worry about small electric devices but avoid strong electromagnetic fields, and understand that an ICD is implanted, not carried.

Step-by-step explanation:

When providing discharge teaching to a client who has an implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD), it is important to explain several precautions they must take. For one, the client should hold his cell phone or any other significant source of electromagnetic energy on the side opposite the ICD to minimize the chance of interference with the device. The client can indeed travel by air, but they should inform security about the ICD since they may need a manual search to avoid the metal detectors and full-body scanners. Moreover, there is no general restriction on the use of small electric devices, but the client should be aware of and avoid strong electromagnetic fields. Lastly, the client cannot 'carry' the ICD in a pocket as it is an implanted device, not a removable item.