Question

A client who is regaining consciousness after a craniotomy becomes restless and attempts to pull out her IV line. Which nursing intervention protects the client without increasing her ICP?

A. Place her in a jacket restraint.
B. Wrap her hands in soft "mitten" restraints.
C. Tuck her arms and hands under the draw sheet.
D. Apply a wrist restraint to each arm.

Answer 1

The best nursing intervention for a patient regaining consciousness after a craniotomy and attempting to pull out her IV line is to use soft "mitten" restraints, as they provide a balance between safety and patient comfort without increasing ICP.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question addresses the appropriate nursing intervention for a client who is regaining consciousness after a craniotomy and is attempting to pull out her intravenous (IV) line without increasing her intracranial pressure (ICP). The correct intervention in this situation would be to wrap her hands in soft "mitten" restraints.

This approach is less restrictive and less likely to induce agitation, which could lead to an increase in ICP, compared to options such as using a jacket restraint or wrist restraints. Tucking the arms and hands under the draw sheet may not be sufficient to prevent the patient from pulling at her IV line and could also increase her ICP if she struggles against it.