You are the RN caring for a patient with an endotracheal tube. You are getting ready to suction the patient. What is one important step that you need to complete before starting to suction?
Clean the suction tube with alcohol wipes
Hyperoxygenate the patient with 100% oxygen
Check patient's blood pressure
Turn patient on their left side
The Correct Answer is B
A. Clean the suction tube with alcohol wipes: Suction catheters are typically sterile and disposable. Cleaning with alcohol wipes is not a standard practice before suctioning and does not ensure patient safety.
B. Hyperoxygenate the patient with 100% oxygen: Suctioning can temporarily reduce oxygenation by removing air from the lungs. Pre-oxygenating the patient with 100% oxygen helps prevent hypoxemia during the procedure, making it a critical preparatory step.
C. Check patient's blood pressure: Monitoring vital signs is important, but it is not the immediate step required before suctioning. Pre-oxygenation has a more direct impact on patient safety during the procedure.
D. Turn patient on their left side: Positioning may facilitate drainage in certain situations, but it is not a required step for endotracheal suctioning. The focus should be on maintaining oxygenation and airway safety.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. A kink at some location in the chest tube: A kink in the tubing would obstruct fluid or air flow and prevent tidaling. If tidaling is present, it indicates that the tube is patent, so a kink is unlikely.
B. Normal and is to be expected: Tidaling in the water-seal chamber represents the rise and fall of fluid with inspiration and expiration, reflecting normal changes in intrathoracic pressure. It is an expected finding and indicates that the chest tube system is functioning properly.
C. The patient's lung has re-expanded and they are ready to have the chest tube removed: Lung re-expansion is assessed via imaging and clinical signs, not solely by tidaling. Tidaling alone does not indicate readiness for removal.
D. A problem within the chest tube unit: Tidaling indicates that the chest tube unit is working correctly. A problem would be suspected if there were no fluid movement or continuous bubbling without patient respiratory activity.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP): A CMP provides information about electrolytes, kidney and liver function, and glucose, but it does not measure oxygenation or carbon dioxide levels. It cannot diagnose hypoxemia.
B. Oxygen saturation (SpO2): Pulse oximetry provides a non-invasive estimate of oxygen saturation, but it may be affected by poor perfusion, nail polish, or abnormal hemoglobin levels. It does not provide direct measurements of PaO2 or acid-base status.
C. Arterial blood gas (ABG): ABG is the gold standard for assessing hypoxemia because it directly measures arterial oxygen (PaO2), carbon dioxide (PaCO2), and pH. This allows precise evaluation of oxygenation and ventilation status, which is critical in acute respiratory conditions.
D. Pulmonary function test (PFT): PFTs assess lung volumes, capacities, and airflow but are not designed to detect acute hypoxemia. They are primarily used to diagnose chronic respiratory conditions like COPD or asthma.
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