Question

What intervention should the nurse perform to reduce the ICP in a pt?

Option 1: Encourage coughing and deep breathing
Option 2: Maintain a flat head position
Option 3: Administer pain medication
Option 4: Elevate the head of the bed

Answer 1

To reduce intracranial pressure in a patient, the nurse should elevate the head of the bed, utilizing gravity to aid in reducing the pressure.

Step-by-step explanation:

The intervention a nurse should perform to reduce ICP (intracranial pressure) in a patient is to elevate the head of the bed. Elevating the head takes advantage of gravity, which can help reduce pressure in the brain by promoting venous outflow and decreasing cerebral blood volume. This practice can be especially helpful in a clinical setting for patients with increased intracranial pressure. Unlike encouraging coughing and deep breathing, which can transiently increase ICP, or maintaining a flat head position, which can exacerbate ICP, elevating the head of the bed is frequently recommended. While administering pain medication may help to reduce ICP indirectly by alleviating pain-related stress or agitation, the direct effect of elevation is more significant for ICP management.