A nurse is caring for a large group of patients. She checks on her post-op patient and starts the IV fluids. While programing the pump the nurse is interrupted by another staff member. Three two hours later the nurse rounds and finds that the patient is short of breath, requiring more oxygen and has crackles in her lungs.

The nurse then realizes that the IV fluids were running at twice the ordered rate. What should the nurse do next?

A. The client:

The client is the most reliable source of information about their own health. Direct communication with the client allows the nurse to gather details about their symptoms, medical history, current health status, and any other relevant information. This is crucial for accurate assessment and care planning.

B. Progress note:

Progress notes are documentation by healthcare providers that summarize the client's clinical status, interventions, and responses to care. While progress notes can provide valuable information, they are not always as up-to-date as direct communication with the client.

C. Medical history:

The medical history contains information about the client's past health conditions, treatments, and surgeries. While important, medical history may not capture the most recent or current information, especially if there have been recent changes in the client's health.

D. Family information:

Family information can provide additional context, support, and insights into the client's health. However, it may not always be as accurate or comprehensive as the information obtained directly from the client. Family members may not be aware of recent changes or may have different perspectives on the client's health.

A. Performs auscultation between meals:

Auscultating bowel sounds between meals is suitable as it allows for better detection of bowel sounds when digestion is not actively occurring.

B. Clamps the Naso Gastric tube during auscultation

Clamping the Naso Gastric (NG) tube during auscultation is appropriate. The NG tube when unclamped allows the free passage of air and fluid through the gastrointestinal tract. This could interfere with the natural sounds produced by the movement of air and fluid in the intestines, potentially leading to inaccurate assessment of bowel sounds.

C. Palpates the abdomen prior to performing auscultation:

Palpating the abdomen before auscultation may interfere with normal bowel sounds

D. Auscultates bowel sounds for 3 to 5 min:

Auscultating bowel sounds for a sufficient duration (3 to 5 minutes) is appropriate to comprehensively assess the presence, frequency, and character of bowel sounds.