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 A
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Standard precautions, as established by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), are to be used for any client, regardless of whether an infection has been identified. This means that healthcare providers, including nurses, must apply standard precautions in the care of all patients to prevent the spread of infections. The rationale behind this choice is based on the fundamental principle of infection control: it is not always possible to identify patients who may be carrying harmful pathogens. Some patients may not show visible signs of infection or may be in the incubation period of a disease, during which they are contagious but not symptomatic. Therefore, applying standard precautions universally helps to create a safe healthcare environment for both patients and healthcare providers. Standard precautions include practices such as hand hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and masks, safe injection practices, and respiratory hygiene.
Choice B rationale:
This choice incorrectly specifies the mode of transmission for using standard precautions. Standard precautions are not limited to cases where the infection is transmitted on air currents. Airborne precautions are used for diseases that spread via small droplets in the air, such as tuberculosis and measles. Standard precautions, on the other hand, cover a broader range of infections and are applied to all patients.
Choice C rationale:
This choice incorrectly narrows down the usage of standard precautions to cases where the infection spreads via moist droplets. While it is true that standard precautions include measures to prevent the transmission of infections through respiratory droplets, they are not limited to this mode of transmission. Standard precautions encompass various modes of transmission, including contact with blood and other body fluids, as well as contact with contaminated surfaces or items.
Choice D rationale:
This choice wrongly states that standard precautions are only used when there is an infection spread by indirect contact with an organism. Standard precautions include both direct and indirect contact with patients and their environment. It is not limited to specific types of infections or modes of transmission.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) do not necessarily occur due to compromised immunity. HAIs refer to infections that patients acquire while receiving treatment for medical or surgical conditions, and they can happen to individuals with varying levels of immunity.
Choice B rationale:
While infections during therapeutic procedures are a concern, not all healthcare-associated infections occur during such procedures. HAIs can happen in various healthcare settings and not limited to therapeutic procedures.
Choice C rationale:
Inhaling pathogens in a healthcare setting might lead to infections, but not all healthcare-associated infections happen due to inhalation. HAIs can occur through different modes of transmission.
Choice D rationale:
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) occur when a patient acquires an infection while receiving care in a healthcare setting, including hospitals. This can involve various sources, such as contaminated medical equipment, surgical procedures, or interactions with healthcare personnel.
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