Which laboratory test will the nurse anticipate as essential to evaluate prior to performing a percutaneous liver biopsy to prevent major bleeding complications?

Appeared in: NORCET-11 Prelims

Explanation

Clotting profile includes PT/INR, aPTT, platelet count, and fibrinogen, which assess bleeding risk.
Liver dysfunction can cause coagulopathy, increasing risk of hemorrhage during biopsy.
Absolute contraindications for biopsy include abnormal coagulation profile; correction is needed before proceeding.

Option A: AST and ALT are liver enzymes used to assess liver cell injury, not bleeding risk.
Option C: Lipid and glucose profile are metabolic tests, unrelated to coagulation or bleeding risk.
Option D: Serum albumin reflects liver synthetic function and nutritional status, but does not predict bleeding risk.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Pre-procedure laboratory evaluation to prevent bleeding in liver biopsy helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses must ensure coagulation status is checked before liver biopsy to prevent life-threatening hemorrhage.
Immediate intervention (e.g., transfusion, vitamin K) may be needed if abnormal results are found.
What if? If a patient has a normal clotting profile but develops sudden bleeding post-biopsy, urgent reassessment and supportive care are required.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the procedure (liver biopsy) and its main complication (bleeding).
Recall which laboratory tests assess bleeding risk (clotting profile).
Eliminate options that do not relate to coagulation or bleeding.
Choose the test that directly evaluates the risk of hemorrhage before an invasive procedure.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Pre-procedure laboratory evaluation to prevent bleeding in liver biopsy
Stem keywords: laboratory test, nurse, percutaneous liver biopsy, prevent major bleeding complications
Lead-in keywords: essential, evaluate, prior to procedure
Clinical cues: Bleeding is a major risk in liver biopsy; coagulopathy increases risk

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Practise the full NORCET-11 Prelims

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.