What potential complication should a nurse monitor for in a patient after myocardial infarction?

After a myocardial infarction (MI), one of the most critical complications to monitor for is arrhythmias. MI can lead to ischemia in the heart muscle, disrupting the normal electrical conduction pathways. This disruption can result in various types of arrhythmias, ranging from benign premature beats to potentially life-threatening conditions like ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. Monitoring the patient's heart rhythm closely in the immediate aftermath of an MI is essential, as these arrhythmias can significantly impact patient stability and may require prompt medical intervention.

In contrast, while pneumonia, hernias, and dermatitis can occur in hospitalized patients for various reasons, they are not direct complications of myocardial infarction. Pneumonia may arise due to factors like immobility or aspiration but is not an immediate consequence of an MI. Hernias and dermatitis are unrelated to cardiac events and reflect different clinical considerations that do not typically pose urgent risks following an MI. Thus, due attention should be directed toward detecting and managing arrhythmias in such patients.