A patient has called the nurse to help them ambulate to the bathroom. The nurse assists the patient to a dangling position on the bed and applied the gait belt. Upon standing, the patient reports that they are feeling very dizzy. What is the next best action by the nurse?
Call for assistance.
Assist the patient in sitting down on the bed.
Assess the vital signs for orthostatic hypotension.
Notify the provider
The Correct Answer is B
A. Call for assistance. While calling for help may be necessary if the patient becomes unresponsive or falls, the priority action is to ensure their safety immediately by helping them sit down.
B. Assist the patient in sitting down on the bed. The patient is experiencing dizziness upon standing, which could indicate orthostatic hypotension or another condition. The best immediate action is to help them sit down to prevent a fall or further complications.
C. Assess the vital signs for orthostatic hypotension. While assessing for orthostatic hypotension is important, it should be done after ensuring the patient is safe by sitting them down.
D. Notify the provider. The provider may need to be informed if the dizziness persists or if there is an underlying medical issue. Still, immediate intervention (sitting the patient down) takes priority before notifying the provider.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Applying sterile gloves to assist with a procedure: This is part of surgical asepsis (sterile technique) rather than medical asepsis.
B. Inserting an indwelling urinary catheter: This requires sterile technique, not just medical asepsis.
C. Preparing injectable medications: Medication preparation requires aseptic (sterile) technique to prevent contamination.
D. Picking up soiled tissues off of the bedside table: Medical asepsis includes hand hygiene and proper handling of contaminated items to prevent the spread of infection.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Check the patient's urinalysis. While a urinalysis may provide useful information (e.g., infection, kidney function), it does not address the immediate concern—significantly decreased urine output despite adequate intake. The priority is to determine urinary retention first.
B. Notify the provider of the patient's pain 7/10. While pain management is important, the more critical issue is the drastically low urine output (150mL in 12 hours), which could indicate acute urinary retention or renal dysfunction. Addressing the urinary issue should come first.
C. Perform a bladder scan. The low urine output (150mL in 12 hours) despite sufficient intake (2150mL) suggests potential urinary retention. A bladder scan is the quickest and least invasive way to determine if the patient has a full bladder that needs intervention (e.g., catheterization). This is the priority before further testing or notifying the provider.
D. Assess the daily weight. Daily weight monitoring is helpful for fluid status assessment, especially in cases of heart failure or kidney disease, but it is not the most immediate priority. The primary concern is whether the patient has urinary retention, which requires urgent evaluation.
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