Please, need help with this

[healthcarestudent]

Hello All,

I am currently studying and I came about this question in the kaplan book;

A client is hospitalized with a diagnosis of a-fib. Heparin 5,000 units is ordered every 12 hours to be given sub-Q. The physician orders daily PTT. The result of the client's most recent PTT is 55. Which of the following actions should be taken by the nurse.

1) document the result and administer the heparin

2) withhold the heparin

3) notify the physician

4) have the test repeated.

It says that the normal range for a PT is 20 - 45 seconds and the therapeutic range for a client receiving heaprin, an anticoagulant is 1.5 - 2 times the control or normal level.

How is the PTT then calculated to determine if the client is outside or within therapeutic range?

Thanks a lot

[caliotter3]

Looks like it is the within the expected range to me if you take the low figures and add them, you get 20 plus 10 = 30; 30 + 20 = 50, so 55 is just above that low figure of 1.5 times the normal range. If I am wrong with this would like to see the better answer. Don't get hung up on single questions like this. You can waste valuable time.

[dontra07]

its within normal! see the key to correction and look for the rationale! ok..

[RNbrent]

That PTT is within normal.

When giving Heparin, you can expect to see a 1.5 x client's base line PTT and that still would be considered a 'normal' PTT (while on treatment).

[yellowflowers]

option 1 is the correct

[healthcarestudent]

The answer is within normal limit but can you explain how you got the answer please