A nurse is assessing a client with intermittent claudication. What client statement supports this information?

"My feet feel like I have pins and needles."

"When I stand or sit too long, my feet swell."

"My legs get a painful cramp when I walk over 30 minutes."

"I get short of breath when I climb a lot of stairs.”

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is C

The client statement that supports the information of intermittent claudication is: "My legs get a painful cramp when I walk over 30 minutes.": Intermittent claudication is a symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD) characterized by pain, cramping, or fatigue in the muscles of the lower extremities, typically the calves, thighs, or buttocks. This pain is usually triggered by physical activity, such as walking, and is relieved with rest. The pain is caused by inadequate blood flow and oxygen supply to the muscles due to narrowed or blocked arteries.

The other client statements do not specifically indicate intermittent claudication:

"My feet feel like I have pins and needles": This sensation of pins and needles is often associated with peripheral neuropathy, which is a condition involving nerve damage and does not directly relate to intermittent claudication.

"When I stand or sit too long, my feet swell": This statement suggests the possibility of venous insufficiency rather than intermittent claudication. Venous insufficiency involves impaired blood return from the legs to the heart and may result in swelling, aching, or heaviness in the legs.

"I get short of breath when I climb a lot of stairs": This symptom is more indicative of cardiovascular or respiratory issues, such as heart or lung disease, rather than intermittent claudication. It suggests that the client may experience exercise intolerance due to cardiopulmonary limitations.

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Correct Answer is ["D","E"]

Explanation

The traces that should require immediate follow-up by the nurse are:

● Pacer spikes occur directly before the T waves.

Pacer spikes occurring on the T waves indicate an issue with the pacemaker's timing or sensing. This could lead to inappropriate pacing or pacing during the refractory period, which can be detrimental to the client's heart function.

● The heart rate is outside of programmed parameters.

If the heart rate is outside of the programmed parameters set for the client's pacemaker, it may indicate a malfunction or failure of the device or a change in the client's cardiac status. It is important for the nurse to assess the client's condition and notify the healthcare provider for further evaluation and intervention.

Let's review the other options and explain why they do not require immediate follow-up:

Pacer spikes are adequate in number: This indicates that the pacemaker is delivering the appropriate number of electrical impulses as programmed. As long as the other parameters are normal, this finding does not require immediate follow-up.

Pacer spikes occur directly before the P waves: This is the desired and expected pattern for a pacemaker in normal sinus rhythm. It indicates proper timing and coordination between the pacemaker and the client's intrinsic electrical activity.

Pacer spikes occur directly before the QRS waves: This is also the desired and expected pattern for a pacemaker in clients with ventricular pacing. It indicates proper timing and coordination between the pacemaker and the client's intrinsic electrical activity.

The heart rate is within programmed parameters: If the heart rate falls within the programmed parameters set for the client's pacemaker, it indicates that the device is functioning appropriately in maintaining the desired heart rate.

A. Wrap both legs in a warming blanket B. Compare ﬁndings to the preoperative assessment of the pulses C. Document the ﬁndings and recheck in 15 minutes. D. Notify the surgeon and anesthesiologist

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

The nurse should prioritize notifying the surgeon and anesthesiologist as the ﬁrst action. The absent pulses, coolness, and mottled appearance of the leg indicate potential compromised blood ﬂow to the lower extremity, which could be a sign of vascular compromise or acute limb ischemia. These ﬁndings are concerning after the repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm and require immediate medical attention.

Wrap both legs in a warming blanket: While it is important to maintain the client's body temperature, this action alone may not address the underlying issue of compromised blood ﬂow and potential limb ischemia. Notifying the surgeon and anesthesiologist is the priority to address the immediate concern.

Compare ﬁndings to the preoperative assessment of the pulses: While comparing ﬁndings to the preoperative assessment is important for evaluating the client's condition, it should not delay immediate action. The priority in this situation is to promptly notify the surgeon and anesthesiologist to address the potential vascular compromise.

Document the ﬁndings and recheck in 15 minutes: Documenting the ﬁndings is an important step in the nursing process, but it should not take precedence over immediate intervention. The concerning signs of absent pulses, coolness, and mottled appearance require urgent attention, and delaying notiﬁcation could lead to further complications.

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A nurse is assessing a client with intermittent claudication. What client statement supports this information?

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The nurse is caring for a client with a pacemaker/ICD on a continuous cardiac monitor. Which trace should require immediate follow up by the nurse? Select all that apply

Correct Answer is ["D","E"]

Explanation

The nurse is caring for a client immediately after repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. On assessment, the client has absent popliteal, posterior tibial, and dorsalis pedis pulses. The leg cool and mottled. Which action should the nurse take ﬁrst?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

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