Question

A kidney transplant recipient complains of fever, chills, and dysuria over the past 2 days. What is the first action that you should take?

A. Assess temperature and initiate a workup to rule out infection.
B. Provide warm covers for the patient and give 1 gram of acetaminophen orally.
C. Reassure the patient and let him know this is common after transplantation.
D. Notify the nephrologist that the patient has developed symptoms of acute rejection.

Answer 1

The first action is to assess temperature and initiate a workup to rule out infection, as symptoms can indicate potentially serious complications including infections like pyelonephritis or CMV in transplant patients.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first action to take when a kidney transplant recipient complains of fever, chills, and dysuria would be Assess temperature and initiate a workup to rule out infection. Given that pyelonephritis and other severe infections like CMV can occur in kidney transplant patients, it is critical to identify and treat infections early.

The priority is to assess for signs of infection and potentially serious complications associated with a transplanted kidney. This would involve a clinical assessment, urine analysis, and possibly blood tests. It is essential to determine the cause of the symptoms, whether it may be an infection, acute rejection, or other transplant-related complications. Hospital-acquired infections should also be considered, especially following recent surgery or hospitalization.