Question

the nurse is creating a plan of care for a client with cardiomyopathy. what priority goal should underlie most of the assessments and interventions that are selected for this patient?

Answer 1

The priority goal in creating a plan of care for a client with cardiomyopathy is to maintain and optimize cardiac function, while also considering the patient's autonomic tone. Cardiomyopathy affects the heart muscle, so the nurse focuses on supporting the heart's efficiency and monitoring cardiovascular health.

Step-by-step explanation:

• The nurse creating a plan of care for a client with cardiomyopathy should prioritize the goal of maintaining and optimizing cardiac function.
• Since cardiomyopathy affects the muscle of the heart, assessments and interventions should focus on monitoring and supporting the heart's ability to pump effectively.
• This includes evaluating the patient's autonomic tone, which is crucial in understanding the patient's cardiovascular health because the autonomic nervous system regulates many functions of the heart and can be affected in the event of a heart attack.
• Additionally, assessments might involve evaluating for brain abnormalities if there are signs that the cardiomyopathy is affecting central nervous system function, though this is less common.