Question

A patient has been admitted to the ICU after being recently diagnosed with an aneurysm and the patient's admission orders include specific aneurysm precautions. What nursing action will the nurse incorporate into the patient's plan of care?

A) Elevate the head of the bed to 45 degrees.
B) Maintain the patient on complete bed rest.
C) Administer enemas when the patient is constipated.
D) Avoid use of thigh-high elastic compression stockings.

Answer 1

To prevent further complications and rupture of an aneurysm, elevating the head of the bed to 45 degrees is a nursing action that should be incorporated into the patient's plan of care.

Step-by-step explanation:

An aneurysm is a weakened and bulging area in the wall of an artery. To prevent further complications and rupture of the aneurysm, specific precautions should be incorporated into the patient's plan of care in the ICU.

The nursing action that the nurse should incorporate into the patient's plan of care is A) Elevate the head of the bed to 45 degrees. Elevating the head of the bed helps to reduce the pressure on the aneurysm, which can help minimize the risk of rupture.

Other precautions that may be included in the patient's plan of care for an aneurysm include keeping the patient on complete bed rest to minimize physical exertion and stress on the artery, attending to bowel disorders such as constipation to prevent straining, and avoiding the use of thigh-high elastic compression stockings to prevent additional pressure on the blood vessels.