Basic Care and ComfortQuestion 1313 of 2368
An infant with heart failure weighed 4.2 kg yesterday and weighs 4.8 kg today using the same scale and clothing. How should the nurse interpret this change?
- It shows normal growth and good nutrition
- It shows the diuretic is working as expected
- It indicates fluid retention and should be reported
- It is an error that needs no action if the infant feeds well
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Correct answer: It indicates fluid retention and should be reported
A gain of 0.5 kg or more in 24 hours is considered fluid retention in an infant with a heart defect.
Source: Nursing Health Promotion (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2025), Congenital Heart Defects: Nursing Interventions. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Practice the topic "Basic Care and Comfort"Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026