During a routine hourly check, a client recovering from a right femoral percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) complains of a newly developed, constant lower back ache. The insertion site dressing remains clean and dry. A review of the continuous vital signs monitor reveals a heart rate of 106 bpm and a blood pressure of 108/84 mm Hg, which is a change from a baseline of 72 bpm and 132/78 mm Hg recorded two hours prior.
Which action should the nurse execute first?
- AAdminister the prescribed as-needed intravenous opioid analgesic
- BElevate the head of the bed to 45 degrees to decrease tension on the lower back
- Assess the right flank and posterior lower back for ecchymosis or swellingCevap
- DPalpate the right pedal and posterior tibial pulses to verify adequate perfusion
Cevap
The nurse should first assess the right flank and posterior lower back for ecchymosis or swelling to evaluate for a retroperitoneal hemorrhage.
The combination of new-onset lower back pain and vital sign changes (tachycardia and a narrowed pulse pressure from 54 mm Hg to 24 mm Hg) following a femoral percutaneous coronary intervention strongly suggests a retroperitoneal hemorrhage. Because blood can pool in the retroperitoneal space without visible bleeding at the anterior insertion site, the nurse's immediate priority is to assess the flank and posterior back for swelling or ecchymosis to confirm the source of the suspected hypovolemic shock.
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Anahtar Kavram
Recognition of early hemorrhagic shock and retroperitoneal bleeding post-PCI