Question

A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a client who had an anterior myocardial infarction. The client's history reveals that they are 1 week postoperative following an open cholecystectomy. The nurse should identify that which of the following interventions is contraindicated?

a) Administering pain medication.
b) Providing education on deep breathing exercises.
c) Facilitating ambulation.
d) Applying heat therapy.

Answer 1

In the context of a patient who had an anterior myocardial infarction and is postoperative following an open cholecystectomy, the contraindicated intervention is applying heat therapy due to the potential for increased circulation leading to complications at the surgical site and increased cardiac workload.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to the appropriate postoperative care for a client who suffered an anterior myocardial infarction and who is one week postoperative following an open cholecystectomy. Among the listed interventions, applying heat therapy is contraindicated. Heat can increase circulation and potentially lead to bleeding or swelling in the postoperative site. Additionally, in the context of a myocardial infarction, increasing circulation can also increase the workload on the heart, which is not advisable during recovery. Other interventions such as administering pain medication, providing education on deep breathing exercises, and facilitating ambulation are typically part of post-myocardial infarction care and are not inherently contraindicated unless otherwise specified by the client's condition or healthcare provider's instructions.