A nurse is assessing peripheral pulses on a client and is aware that which action is a safety issue when assessing the client's peripheral pulses?
Counting a regular pulse for 30 seconds and doubling the number to obtain the rate.
Palpates the femoral artery in the groin of the client.
Palpates both carotid pulses at the same time.
Palpates the radial artery on the thumb side of the wrist.
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A rationale:
The client's respirations are faster and deeper than normal due to expelling too much carbon dioxide. This condition is known as hyperventilation. Hyperventilation can occur due to various reasons such as anxiety, pain, fever, or metabolic acidosis. When the body expels excessive carbon dioxide, it leads to respiratory alkalosis, resulting in faster and deeper breathing to compensate for the decrease in carbon dioxide levels in the blood.
Choice B rationale:
This option is incorrect. Hypoxemia, or low blood oxygen levels, typically leads to rapid, shallow breathing (tachypnea) rather than deep and fast respirations.
Choice C rationale:
This option is incorrect. Inflammation of the phrenic nerve does not directly affect the depth and rate of respirations. Phrenic nerve inflammation is more likely to cause pain during breathing or hiccups.
Choice D rationale:
This option is incorrect. Using intercostal muscles to breathe is a normal physiological process, especially during deep or labored breathing. However, it does not explain the specific situation described in the question, where the respirations are faster and deeper than normal.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
A combining vowel is a vowel (usually "o") that connects a word root to a suffix or another root. It aids in the pronunciation and flow of the word. For example, in the word "gastroenteritis," "o" is the combining vowel that connects the word root "gastr-" (stomach) to the suffix "-itis" (inflammation) Combining vowels do not provide the general meaning of the word.
Choice B rationale:
The word root provides the fundamental meaning of the word. It is the core of the medical term and gives the essential meaning. For example, in the word "cardiology," the word root "cardio-" refers to the heart. Understanding word roots is crucial in comprehending medical terminology.
Choice C rationale:
A suffix is an affix added at the end of a word to form a derivative, indicating a characteristic of a person or thing. For instance, in the word "dermatologist," the suffix "-ologist" indicates a person who studies or practices a particular kind of knowledge, in this case, dermatology (the study of the skin)
Choice D rationale:
A prefix is an affix added to the beginning of a word to modify its meaning. For example, in the term "preoperative," the prefix "pre-" means before, and it modifies the root word "operative," indicating something that occurs before an operation. Prefixes provide additional information about the word's context but do not give the general meaning of the word itself.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Modified equivalents. This is not the correct answer. The abbreviation "mEq" stands for milliequivalents, not modified equivalents.
Choice B rationale:
Megaequivalents. This is not the correct answer. "Mega" is a prefix indicating a factor of one million. In the context of electrolytes and medications, milliequivalents (mEq) are the appropriate unit of measurement, not megaequivalents.
Choice C rationale:
Milliequivalents. This is the correct answer. Milliequivalents (mEq) are a measure of the chemical combining power of a substance. In medical contexts, mEq is often used to express the amount of electrolytes (such as potassium, sodium, calcium) in a solution or dosage form. It represents 1/1000th of an equivalent, which is the amount of a substance that can react with or replace one mole of hydrogen ions (H+) It is important for healthcare professionals to understand these units when dealing with medications and intravenous fluids, as incorrect administration can lead to serious health complications.
Choice D rationale:
Miniequivalents. This is not the correct answer. "Mini" is not a standard prefix used in the International System of Units (SI) The correct prefix for a thousandth of an equivalent is "milli," making milliequivalents the appropriate unit of measurement for substances like electrolytes.
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