Question

A patient with chronic kidney disease is completing an exchange during peritoneal dialysis. The nurse observes that the peritoneal fluid is draining slowly and that the patients abdomen is increasing in girth. What is the nurses most appropriate action?

A) Advance the catheter 2 to 4 cm further into the peritoneal cavity.
B) Reposition the patient to facilitate drainage.
C) Aspirate from the catheter using a 60-mL syringe.
D) Infuse 50 mL of additional dialysate.

Answer 1

The nurse should reposition the patient to encourage proper drainage of peritoneal fluid during dialysis. No invasive actions such as advancing the catheter or infusing more dialysate should be taken without proper indication. The correct option is B) Reposition the patient to facilitate drainage.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient with chronic kidney disease is undergoing peritoneal dialysis and the flow of peritoneal fluid is draining slowly with increasing abdominal girth, the nurse's most appropriate action would be to reposition the patient to facilitate drainage.

Advancement of the catheter or aspirating from it could cause injury or infection and should be avoided unless specifically indicated and performed by a trained healthcare provider. Infusing additional dialysate is not recommended as it may exacerbate the problem of fluid drainage and increase abdominal girth.

The nurse's most appropriate action would be to reposition the patient to facilitate drainage. Repositioning the patient may help to improve the flow of peritoneal fluid and prevent the patient's abdomen from increasing in girth.

Advancing the catheter further into the peritoneal cavity, aspirating from the catheter, or infusing additional dialysate would not directly address the issue of slow drainage and increasing girth.

The correct option is B) Reposition the patient to facilitate drainage.