After a renal biopsy, what intervention should the nurse include in post-procedure care?

After a renal biopsy, what intervention should the nurse include in post-procedure care?

• A. Encouraging oral fluids
• B. Periodically testing urine for occult blood
• C. Monitoring the client's temperature continuously
• D. Encouraging the client to ambulate

Answer: (B)

Following a renal biopsy, monitoring the patient's urine for occult blood is a crucial intervention because it helps assess for potential complications such as bleeding, which is a risk following the procedure. The renal biopsy can cause trauma to the renal tissue, leading to bleeding that may not be immediately visible. By testing the urine for occult blood, the nurse can detect any internal bleeding early and respond appropriately, which is essential for the patient's safety and recovery. While encouraging oral fluids, monitoring temperature, and ambulating are important aspects of post-procedure care for various conditions, they do not specifically address the key risk of bleeding associated with renal biopsies. Increased fluid intake can help dilute urine but does not directly monitor for bleeding, and continuous temperature monitoring may be more suitable for detecting infections rather than complications related to the biopsy. Ambulation, although generally encouraged after many procedures to promote recovery and prevent complications such as thromboembolism, is not directly related to the specific concerns following a renal biopsy. Thus, periodic testing of urine for occult blood stands out as the most relevant intervention for monitoring post-procedure complications in this context.

Following a renal biopsy, monitoring the patient's urine for occult blood is a crucial intervention because it helps assess for potential complications such as bleeding, which is a risk following the procedure. The renal biopsy can cause trauma to the renal tissue, leading to bleeding that may not be immediately visible. By testing the urine for occult blood, the nurse can detect any internal bleeding early and respond appropriately, which is essential for the patient's safety and recovery.

While encouraging oral fluids, monitoring temperature, and ambulating are important aspects of post-procedure care for various conditions, they do not specifically address the key risk of bleeding associated with renal biopsies. Increased fluid intake can help dilute urine but does not directly monitor for bleeding, and continuous temperature monitoring may be more suitable for detecting infections rather than complications related to the biopsy. Ambulation, although generally encouraged after many procedures to promote recovery and prevent complications such as thromboembolism, is not directly related to the specific concerns following a renal biopsy. Thus, periodic testing of urine for occult blood stands out as the most relevant intervention for monitoring post-procedure complications in this context.