ATI RN Comprehensive Exit Exam Related

Review ATI RN Comprehensive Exit Exam related questions and content

A nurse is planning care for a client who has a closed head injury and has an intraventricular catheter. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include to reduce the risk for infection?

  • A. Keep the head of the bed elevated to 30 degrees.
  • B. Administer IV antibiotics prophylactically.
  • C. Change the catheter insertion site every 24 hours.
  • D. Monitor the insertion site for redness.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is to monitor the insertion site for redness. This intervention helps detect signs of infection early in clients with intraventricular catheters. Keeping the head of the bed elevated to 30 degrees is important for managing intracranial pressure but does not directly reduce the risk of infection. Administering IV antibiotics prophylactically is not recommended as a routine practice due to the risk of antibiotic resistance and should only be done based on culture results. Changing the catheter insertion site every 24 hours is unnecessary and increases the risk of introducing new pathogens.