HELP!!! I need a cited rationale for my care plan.

[NPtoB]

Goal is Eliminate excess fluid within to the point of no more than 1+ pedal edema by 6/28/06 and Maintain balanced I/O within 200 mls by 6/29/06. One of the many nursing interventions is: Administer any prescribed medications as ordered and check BP before administration to ensure it is adequate. I have rationales for the other 8 nursing interventions, but have been unable to find a rationale for this specific one. It has to be cited w/ author and page # only. Does ANYONE have a rationale for this intervention?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Also, this is my first real post. I read so much and have for months, but just started the nursing progam the first week of June.

Thanks in advance.

DB

[Kymmi]

Im not totally sure I understand your question. I think I can tell you the rationale but I dont know where you'd find the author and page #. However the rationale behind adminstering prescribed meds and monitoring the blood pressure is that chances are there is a diuretic ordered which would help rid the body of excess fluid and the reason behind monitoring the blood pressure is that if the blood pressure is too low you would want to be careful giving any diuretics which could drop the blood pressure lower. Also if you have a significant lower blood pressure the heart does not pump as efficiently so therefore fluid accumulates in the system.

I hope this is what you are looking for and it helps. Good Luck with school.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Hi, DB!

Administering prescribed medications as ordered is not an independent nursing intervention and comes under the heading of a physician-prescribed or collaborative intervention (Carpenito). It's a basic nursing skill. I would question your decision to include them as nursing interventions. Have you asked your instructors if you are to include this kind of intervention in your care plans?

Your rationale for giving the medication would be found in a basic nursing or pharmacology textbook. Look for a statement that says a nurse must have a valid doctor's written order to administer any medications. As for taking the B/P before administering a specific medication, I would look the specific medication up in a nursing drug reference and under the nursing considerations for that drug find advice to check the patient's B/P before giving it. You could also check one of the online drug reference websites or, again, a pharmacology textbook.

[NPtoB]

Thanks so much for your help. Kymmi, yes, it was a diuretic...and Daytonite, it was my instructors suggestion to use this type of intervention because it was one of many to meet the objective. I do understand your thought behind it though. I need to work on my wording of the intervention. Like I said - I am really new to this and appreciate your input.

DB