Question

While waiting for heart transplantation, a patient with severe cardiomyopathy has a ventricular assist device (VAD) implanted. When planning care for this patient, the nurse should anticipate

a. preparing the patient for a permanent VAD.
b. administering immunosuppressive medications.
c. teaching the patient the reason for complete bed rest.
d. monitoring the surgical incision for signs of infection.

Answer 1

A patient with severe cardiomyopathy waiting for heart transplantation might have a ventricular assist device (VAD) implanted. The nurse should anticipate monitoring the surgical incision for signs of infection and administering immunosuppressive medications.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient with severe cardiomyopathy is waiting for a heart transplantation, a ventricular assist device (VAD) can be implanted as a temporary solution to help pump blood throughout the body and keep the patient alive.

Therefore, when planning care for this patient, the nurse should anticipate monitoring the surgical incision for signs of infection, as the VAD is an implanted device that carries a risk of infection.

In addition, the nurse should administer immunosuppressive medications, as these medications help prevent the body from rejecting the VAD.