Implementation of Nursing Care
Administration of Appropriate Drugs
If the surgery is not necessary or if it is postponed for some time then diuretics and digoxin are administered with great caution for congestive heart failare. Care is taken to restrict fluid intake and monitor any side effect of digitalisation.
Preoperative and Postoperative Care
The surgical treatment consists of ligation of the ductus or by division and suture of duct. The preoperative and postoperative care is same as in a child who has undergone open heart surgery.
Assist in Pharmacologic Closure
This is achieved in low birth weight babies with indomethacin. This inhibits prostaglandin synthesis. Improvement in left to right shunt can be seen within 12 to 18 hours after the medicine is given. Nurse's responsibility is to watch the child for any complication of the drug and reporting the same. This may cause hyperbilirubinemia, kidney dysfunction and hyponatremia.