A nurse is caring for a client with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who is intubated and receiving mechanical ventilation. The ventilator settings include a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 15 cm . The most recent arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis indicates a pH of , of mm Hg, of mEq/L, and of mm Hg. Over the last minutes, the client's blood pressure drops rapidly from mm Hg to mm Hg, and the heart rate increases from to bpm. Which action should the nurse implement first to reduce the client's risk of imminent physiological collapse?
- APlace the client in a Trendelenburg position to rapidly increase venous return and systemic blood pressure.
- Auscultate bilateral lung sounds and evaluate chest excursion to assess for a suspected tension pneumothorax.Cevap
- CAdminister an intravenous bolus of sodium bicarbonate to correct the uncompensated metabolic acidosis.
- DPerform immediate endotracheal suctioning to clear airway resistance that is causing the acute hypercapnia.
Cevap
The nurse must first auscultate bilateral lung sounds and evaluate chest excursion to determine if the client has developed a tension pneumothorax.
The correct action prioritizes focused physical assessment to identify a life-threatening complication of high PEEP. Clients with ARDS requiring high levels of PEEP are at extreme risk for barotrauma, such as a tension pneumothorax. The sudden onset of profound hypotension and tachycardia strongly suggests this complication, as the trapped air increases intrathoracic pressure and severely impairs venous return to the heart. Auscultating for absent or diminished breath sounds is the critical first step to confirm this diagnosis before preparing for emergency needle decompression.
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Anahtar Kavram
Complications of Mechanical Ventilation: Barotrauma and Hemodynamic Compromise