Question

A nurse is caring for a client on the medical-surgical unit. The client has been taking warfarin at home and her laboratory values reveal her INR is 3.5. The client states she is checking herself out of the hospital and refuses to wait until her provider can discuss the situation with her. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A) Tell the client she will not be permitted to leave the facility until she has signed the against medical advice (AMA) form.
B) Tell the client if she leaves without a written prescription for discharge, her insurance will not pay for the facility visit.
C) Explain the risk the client faces if she leaves the facility.
D) Ask the security department to guard the room to the client's door.

Answer 1

The nurse should explain the risk the client faces if she leaves the facility without waiting to discuss her situation with her provider, as her INR is 3.5, indicating an increased risk of bleeding.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should explain the risk the client faces if she leaves the facility without waiting to discuss her situation with her provider. The client is taking warfarin, an anticoagulant medication, and her INR (International Normalized Ratio) is 3.5. An INR of 3.5 is higher than the therapeutic range for most medical-surgical patients, indicating an increased risk of bleeding. By leaving the facility without proper guidance from her provider, the client may put herself at risk for bleeding complications.