Which is the best option for washing the patient’s hair who has just undergone shoulder replacement surgery?

Choice A reason: This is incorrect. Reporting the findings to the health care provider immediately is an important step, but not the priority action of the nurse. The nurse should first assess the patient for orthostatic hypotension, which is a common cause of sudden blood pressure drop.

Choice B reason: This is incorrect. Checking the patient’s apical rate to check for a pulse deficit is a relevant step, but not the priority action of the nurse. A pulse deficit is the difference between the apical and radial pulse rates. The nurse should first check the patient for orthostatic hypotension, which is a condition where the blood pressure drops when the patient changes position, causing dizziness and fainting.

Choice C reason: This is correct. Immediately checking the patient for orthostatic hypotension is the priority action of the nurse. Orthostatic hypotension is a condition where the blood pressure drops when the patient changes position, causing dizziness and fainting. It can be caused by dehydration, medications, blood loss, or autonomic nervous system disorders. The nurse should measure the patient’s blood pressure and heart rate while lying down, sitting, and standing, and observe for any signs of hypoperfusion, such as pallor, sweating, or confusion.

Choice D reason: This is incorrect. Elevating the head of the patient’s bed to at least 45 degrees is a helpful step, but not the priority action of the nurse. Elevating the head of the bed can improve the patient’s breathing and reduce the risk of aspiration, but it can also worsen the orthostatic hypotension by lowering the blood pressure further. The nurse should first check the patient for orthostatic hypotension and then adjust the bed position accordingly.

Choice A reason: This is an incorrect choice because exposure-related accident is not the type of error when the wrong type of medication is administered to the patient. Exposure-related accident is an incident that occurs when a person is exposed to a harmful substance or environment, such as radiation, chemicals, or extreme temperatures.

Choice B reason: This is the correct choice because procedure-related accident is the type of error when the wrong type of medication is administered to the patient. Procedure-related accident is an incident that occurs when a person is harmed by a medical or surgical procedure, such as a wrong-site surgery, a medication error, or a catheter infection.

Choice C reason: This is an incorrect choice because organization-related accident is not the type of error when the wrong type of medication is administered to the patient. Organization-related accident is an incident that occurs due to a failure of the system or the management of an organization, such as a lack of communication, a poor policy, or a staffing shortage.

Choice D reason: This is an incorrect choice because equipment-related accident is not the type of error when the wrong type of medication is administered to the patient. Equipment-related accident is an incident that occurs due to a malfunction or misuse of a device or a machine, such as a ventilator, a defibrillator, or a syringe.