Question

A nurse is planning care for a client who has cancer and has developed thrombocytopenia following chemotherapy. Which of the following precautions should the nurse offer to minimize the adverse effects of thrombocytopenia?

1) Avoid activities that may cause injury or bleeding
2) Encourage the client to engage in strenuous physical activities
3) Administer anticoagulant medications
4) Encourage the client to take aspirin regularly

Answer 1

To minimize the adverse effects of thrombocytopenia in a client with cancer following chemotherapy, the nurse should avoid activities that may cause injury or bleeding, encourage the client to avoid strenuous physical activities, avoid administering anticoagulant medications, and discourage regular aspirin use.

Step-by-step explanation:

To minimize the adverse effects of thrombocytopenia in a client with cancer following chemotherapy, the nurse should offer the following precautions:

1. Avoid activities that may cause injury or bleeding: This is important to prevent excessive bleeding, as low platelet count can impair blood clotting.
2. Encourage the client to engage in strenuous physical activities: Strenuous activities may increase the risk of injury and bleeding, so they should be avoided.
3. Administer anticoagulant medications: Anticoagulant medications are not recommended for thrombocytopenia, as they can further increase the risk of bleeding.
4. Encourage the client to take aspirin regularly: Aspirin interferes with platelet function and can increase the risk of bleeding, so it should be avoided in patients with thrombocytopenia.