Two days after surgical fixation of a fractured femur, a client suddenly reports chest pain and difficulty in breathing. The nurse suspects the client had a pulmonary embolus. Which action should the nurse take first?
Notify the healthcare provider.
Prepare a continuous heparin infusion per protocol.
Provide supplemental oxygen.
Bring the emergency crash cart to the bedside.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: Notifying the healthcare provider is an important action, but not the first one. The nurse should prioritize interventions that address the client's immediate needs, such as oxygenation and circulation.
Choice B reason: Preparing a continuous heparin infusion per protocol is an appropriate action for preventing further clot formation and reducing the risk of recurrent pulmonary embolism, but it is not the first action. The nurse should first stabilize the client's condition before administering anticoagulant therapy.
Choice D reason: Bringing the emergency crash cart to the bedside is a prudent action, but not the first one. The nurse should prepare for possible cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in case of cardiac arrest, but should first attempt to prevent it by providing oxygen and other supportive measures.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A: Instructing the client to increase his intake of oral fluids until the skin flushing is relieved is not an appropriate action for the nurse, as this does not address the cause of the flushing, which is vasodilation due to tadalafil. This is a distractor choice.
Choice B: Advising the client to place one nitroglycerin tablet under his tongue as a precaution is a dangerous action for the nurse, as this can cause severe hypotension and cardiovascular collapse due to the interaction between tadalafil and nitroglycerin. This is a contraindicated choice.
Choice C: Telling the client to have someone bring him to an emergency department immediately is an unnecessary action for the nurse, as there is no evidence of any serious adverse reaction or complication from tadalafil. This is an overreaction choice.
Choice D: Reassuring the client that skin flushing is a common side effect of the medication is an appropriate action for the nurse, as this can calm the client and educate him about the expected effects of tadalafil. Therefore, this is the correct choice.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A: Assessing pupillary response to light hourly is not an intervention that the nurse should implement while administering dopamine, as this is not related to the effects or side effects of dopamine. This is a distractor choice.
Choice B: Initiating seizure precautions is not an intervention that the nurse should implement while administering dopamine, as this is not a common or expected complication of dopamine. This is another distractor choice.
Choice C: Monitoring serum potassium frequently is not an intervention that the nurse should implement while administering dopamine, as this is not affected by dopamine or hypotension. This is another distractor choice.
Choice D: Measuring urinary output every hour is an intervention that the nurse should implement while administering dopamine, as this can indicate the effectiveness of dopamine in improving renal perfusion and blood pressure. Therefore, this is the correct choice.
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