NCLEX-PN

Category - Pharmacological Therapies

A client is administered with intravenous heparin infusion following a diagnosis of intravascular coagulation. Based on the latest laboratory report, the client’s aPTT is 70 seconds. The client’s aPTT baseline is 25 seconds. Which of the following physician orders should the nurse expect?
  1. Maintain the flow rate of the heparin infusion
  2. Decrease the flow rate of the heparin infusion
  3. Increase the flow rate of the heparin infusion
  4. Discontinue the heparin infusion
Explanation
Answer: B - An aPTT value that greater than 1.5 but less than 2.5 of the client’s pretreatment level is the target of the therapy. With a baseline of 25 seconds, the client’s therapeutic response must fall between 37.5 and 62.5 seconds. The nurse should expect the physician to decrease the flow rate of the heparin infusion if the client’s level is determined to be greater than 62.5 seconds.
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