A nurse received an order to initiate early ambulation with a patient post appendectomy. The nurse recognizes this activity to be helpful in preventing possible complications associated with prolonged bed rest. To assist the patient to start walking after surgery, the nurse will:

Explanation

• Early walking after surgery prevents the development of complications. The nurse facilitates proper ambulation when she instructs the patient to perform leg exercises while in bed and positions her to high-Fowlers.

• Then, the patient is instructed to dangle her feet at the bedside. The patient may feel dizzy, nauseated, or faint so it must be performed slowly and with long intervals in between. Then, the patient is moved from the bed to the chair and should be assisted to walk around the room.

• Other options show inappropriate ambulation because the procedure was done too quickly and non-systematic.

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