Question

a patient who is postoperative day 1 after hip replacement suddenly becomes agitated and confused and starts pulling off the wound dressing. which action should the nurse take first? click the correct answer and click submit. contact the family about staying with the patient. apply two mitts on the patients hands. call the licensed practitioner for a restraint order. perform a physical assessment of the patient.

Explanation:

In nursing, when a patient shows sudden changes in behavior like agitation and confusion, the first - step is to assess the patient physically. This helps in determining the underlying cause of the change, which could be related to pain, hypoxia, infection, or other post - operative complications. Applying mitts or getting a restraint order without assessment is premature and may not address the root cause. Contacting the family is important but not the first action.

Answer:

D. Perform a physical assessment of the patient.