A nurse is preparing to measure a client’s level of oxygen saturation on a patient who has had a bilateral lower leg amputation. He noticed the patient’s hands are very edematous.

The nurse should apply the pulse oximeter probe to which of the following locations?

A. Adequacy of circulation:

This assessment is the highest priority for a client who has undergone a procedure to bypass arteries in the right leg. Monitoring for signs of adequate blood flow, such as color, temperature, capillary refill, and pulses in the operated leg, is critical to identify and address any circulation issues early.

B. Patency of airway:

While maintaining a patent airway is always a priority in postoperative care, it is not the immediate concern in a client who has just undergone a leg bypass procedure. Airway management is essential, but assessing circulation in the operated limb takes precedence.

C. Movement of lower leg:

Assessing movement of the lower leg is important for detecting signs of impaired motor function or complications. However, it is secondary to assessing the adequacy of circulation, which is critical for preventing ischemia and other circulatory issues.

D. Neurovascular status of the left leg:

While monitoring the neurovascular status of the left leg is a valid aspect of the overall assessment, the priority in the immediate postoperative period is to assess the surgical site (right leg) to ensure that blood flow is adequate and that there are no immediate complications.

A. Mutually establish desired outcomes of the plan of care:

While establishing desired outcomes is an important part of the nursing process, nursing diagnoses themselves do not necessarily focus on mutually establishing these outcomes. Nursing diagnoses help identify health problems and needs, which then guide the development of outcomes during the planning phase.

B. Guide selection of nursing interventions to meet expected outcomes:

This is the correct answer. Nursing diagnoses help determine the specific needs and problems a patient is facing. Once identified, nursing interventions can be chosen to address these needs and work towards achieving expected outcomes.

C. Establish a database of information for future comparison:

Establishing a database of information is more related to the assessment phase of the nursing process. Nursing diagnoses are formulated based on the analysis of the collected data and serve to guide subsequent steps in the nursing process, particularly planning and intervention.

D. Evaluate the effectiveness of the established plan of care:

Evaluating the effectiveness of the established plan of care is part of the later stages of the nursing process. Nursing diagnoses help in planning and implementing interventions, and evaluating their effectiveness comes after these interventions have been carried out.