Author Question: The client had surgery in the morning that involved the right femoral artery. To assess the client's ... (Read 87 times)

ssal · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

The client had surgery in the morning that involved the right femoral artery. To assess the client's circulation status to the right leg, the nurse will make sure to check the pulse at the:

1. Radial artery
2. Ulnar artery
3. Brachial artery
4. Dorsalis pedis artery

Question 2

After discharge from the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), the client returned to the surgical nursing unit at 10:00 AM. It is now 11:30 AM, and the client is not experiencing any complica-tions or difficulties.

The nurse will plan to measure the client's vital signs:
1. Every 15 minutes
2. Every 30 minutes
3. Every 1 hour
4. Every 4 hours

wtf444 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: 4
The nurse should assess peripheral pulses and capillary refill distal to the site of surgery. After surgery to the femoral artery, the nurse assesses posterior tibial and dorsalis pedis pulses. The nurse also compares pulses in the affected extremity with those in the nonaffected extremity.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: 3
Vital sign monitoring on the postoperative nursing unit should initially be hourly for 4 hours and then every 4 hours. As the client's condition stabilizes, the frequency of assessment will usually decrease to once a shift until discharge. Upon the client's arrival to recovery, the nurse repeats measurement of vital signs every 15 minutes, not for the client who is stable on the surgical nurs-ing unit. The client who is not experiencing any complications or difficulties does not require vi-tal sign measurement every 30 minutes. After the client's vital signs are obtained hourly for 4 hours and remain stable, the client may have his or her vital signs measured every 4 hours.