A nurse is preparing to assist a client in ambulating in the hallway. The client had a valvoplasty 72 hours ago. The nurse knows that ambulation following a cardiac surgery may not be easily tolerated by the client. The nurse caring for Mr. Maxwell includes which of the following nursing action to help him tolerate ambulation?
Explanation
Answer: C - The nurse should administer the prescribed analgesic before ambulation. Analgesics promote rest and decrease myocardial demand for oxygen, which is related to pain. Analgesia can help the client tolerate ambulation, deep breathing exercises, and other planned activities by the nurse. A walker is an assistive device, but it does not help post-cardiac surgery clients improve their tolerance to ambulation. Gradual increases in the distance of ambulation are appropriate, but without the help of analgesics ambulation in short distances may not be tolerable for the client.
