When caring for a patient in shock, one of the major nursing goals is to reduce the risk that the patient will develop complications from shock. What does this require the nurse to do?
A) Provide the family with realistic expectations around the patient's prognosis.
B) Keep the health care provider updated with the most accurate information because during treatment of shock, the nurse is often powerless to help.
C) Monitor for significant changes and evaluate patient outcomes on a scheduled basis, focusing on blood pressure and skin temperature.
D) Understand the underlying mechanisms of shock, recognize the subtle and more obvious signs, and then provide rapid assessment and response.
Question 2
Patients who are in shock have special needs, including nutritional needs. What physiological phenomenon underlies these unique nutritional needs?
A) The necessity of albumin as a food source because of the need for increased caloric intake
B) The loss of fluids and decreased levels of stomach acids due to increased parasympathetic activity
C) The release of catecholamines that creates an increase in metabolic rate and caloric requirements
D) The increase in gastrointestinal function during shock and the resulting diarrhea