Overview
Introduction: Hepatitis at the Bedside
Hepatitis is liver inflammation, but the bedside question is not simply whether the liver is inflamed.
Hepatitis is liver inflammation, but the bedside question is not simply whether the liver is inflamed. The nurse must determine how the infection spreads, whether it is acute or chronic, and whether the liver is still performing its most dangerous-to-lose functions: making clotting factors, processing bilirubin, and supporting normal neurologic function. A markedly elevated ALT or visible jaundice shows liver injury, not necessarily liver failure. A rising INR, increasing bilirubin, new ascites, bleeding, or a change in mental status indicates that the clinical priority has shifted from symptom management to urgent evaluation for impaired hepatic function. This distinction helps the LVN/LPN recognize which findings require routine follow-up and which require immediate escalation.