Health Promotion and Maintenance Q 97
Nurse Sherry is teaching male client regarding his permanent artificial pacemaker. Which information given by the nurse shows her knowledge deficit about the artificial cardiac pacemaker?
A. Take the pulse rate once a day, in the morning upon awakening.
B. May be allowed to use electrical appliances.
C. Have regular follow up care.
D. May engage in contact sports.
Correct Answer: D. may engage in contact sports
The client should be advised by the nurse to avoid contact sports. This will prevent trauma to the area of the pacemaker generator.
Option A: The physician may advise to take and record the pulse rate often to gauge the heart rate. This allows comparison of the heart rate to the acceptable range to determine if the pacemaker is working effectively.
Option B: Use of electrical appliances is allowed, but the client must maintain a distance from the appliances. Devices such as anti-theft systems, metal detectors, cell phones, mp3 players/headphones, radios, power-generating equipment, magnets, etc may interfere with a pacemaker.
Option C: Modern pacemakers are built to last. Still, it needs to be checked periodically to assess the battery and find out how the wires are working, so it is a must to keep pacemaker checkup appointments.