Four hours following an extensive bowel resection, a client reports severe thirst and exhibits new-onset restlessness. The nurse reviews the client's current clinical data:
| Parameter | Current Value | Preoperative Baseline |
|---|---|---|
| Blood Pressure | mm Hg | mm Hg |
| Heart Rate | beats/min | beats/min |
| Respiratory Rate | breaths/min | breaths/min |
| Oxygen Saturation | on room air | on room air |
Recent arterial blood gas (ABG) results show a pH of , PaCO of mm Hg, and HCO of mEq/L.
Which of the following is the priority nursing action?
- Examine the surgical dressing and palpate the abdomen for rigidity or distension.Cevap
- BInstruct the client to perform slow, paced breathing to correct the respiratory alkalosis.
- CAdminister a prescribed intravenous anxiolytic to relieve the client's restlessness.
- DInitiate supplemental oxygen therapy at 2 L/min via nasal cannula to treat the tachypnea.
Cevap
The priority action is to examine the surgical dressing and palpate the abdomen for rigidity or distension.
The client's presentation of restlessness, severe thirst, tachycardia, and a narrowing pulse pressure are hallmark signs of the compensatory stage of hypovolemic shock, likely due to internal hemorrhage following major abdominal surgery. The respiratory alkalosis is a compensatory response to sympathetic stimulation and poor tissue perfusion. The highest priority is to assess the source of the suspected bleeding by examining the surgical dressing and abdomen.
Adım Adım Çözüm
Anahtar Kavram
Early recognition of hypovolemic shock and prioritization of circulatory assessment over compensatory symptoms.
Alternatif Yöntem
Use the pulse pressure calculation to detect early shock. The baseline pulse pressure was mm Hg () and has narrowed significantly to mm Hg (). A narrowing pulse pressure is one of the earliest signs of volume depletion, occurring before a profound drop in systolic blood pressure.
Tahmini Süre:1m 30s