Following the morning shift change on a high-acuity surgical step-down unit, the nurse is reviewing the clinical data of four newly assigned clients. Which client presentation mandates the most immediate assessment?
- AA client 2 days post-gastric bypass surgery who reports severe incisional pain rated 8 on a 0 to 10 scale and refuses to use the incentive spirometer.
- BA client with a history of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease recovering from a femur fracture repair who has an arterial blood gas showing a pH of 7.35 and a PaCO2 of 54 mm Hg.
- A client 12 hours post-exploratory laparotomy whose blood pressure has changed from 124/76 mm Hg to 108/84 mm Hg and whose heart rate has increased to 118 beats/min.Cevap
- DA client 3 days post-open cholecystectomy who has a T-tube that has drained 250 mL of dark green fluid over the past 8 hours.
Cevap
The client 12 hours post-exploratory laparotomy with a changing blood pressure and elevated heart rate requires the most immediate assessment.
The correct answer identifies the client exhibiting early signs of shock. Following surgery, internal hemorrhage or hypovolemia are major risks. A narrowing pulse pressure (the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure shrinking from 48 to 24 mm Hg) combined with tachycardia (118 beats/min) indicates the body is in the compensatory stage of shock. The sympathetic nervous system is vasoconstricting peripheral vessels (raising diastolic pressure) to maintain blood flow to vital organs. This represents an acute, unstable circulatory crisis requiring immediate life-saving intervention.
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Prioritization of Care: Acute Circulatory Compromise and Early Recognition of Shock
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