A patient is admitted to the critical care unit with an acute ...

[j.rubin]

A patient is admitted to the critical care unit with an acute head injury after a motor vehicle accident
 
  The patient has a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 6 . The patient is intubated and ventilated, and a ventriculostomy is placed with physician orders to keep the ICP less than 15 mm Hg. The patient's ICP continues to rise despite aggressive intervention. Which of the following is an advantage of a ventriculostomy ICP monitoring system?
 
  a. Lower risk of infection
  b. Ease of insertion
  c. No penetration of brain
  d. Access for cerebrospinal fluid drainage and sampling

Question 2

Which of the following expresses the correct order when working with an invasive pressure monitor?
 
  a. Level the transducer, locate the phlebostatic axis, zero the transducer, and take the reading.
  b. Locate the phlebostatic axis, level the transducer, zero the transducer, and take the reading.
  c. Take the reading, level the transducer, locate the phlebostatic axis, and zero the transducer.
  d. Locate the phlebostatic axis, zero the transducer, level the transducer, and take the reading.

[isabelt_18]

Answer to Question 1

D
Advantages of a ventriculostomy include access for cerebrospinal fluid drainage and sampling, access for determination of volume-pressure curves, direct measurement of pressure, and access for medication instillation.

Answer to Question 2

B
The correct order is locate the phlebostatic axis, level the transducer, zero the transducer, and take the reading. The transducer cannot be zeroed before it is leveled. Readings cannot be taken before the transducer is zeroed, and leveling the transducer cannot occur until the phlebostatic axis has been identified.