A nurse is caring for a client who has a tracheostomy and requires suctioning. Identify the sequence of steps the nurse should follow after applying sterile gloves. (Move the steps into the box on the right, placing them in the selected order of performance. Use all the steps.)

Rationale:

A. Nurses notes are used to create the critical pathway: Critical pathways are developed from evidence-based clinical guidelines and best practices, not directly from nurses’ notes. While documentation may help track progress, it is not the foundation for pathway creation.

B. Critical pathways should reduce health care costs: Critical pathways standardize care for specific diagnoses, promoting timely interventions and reducing unnecessary treatments or delays. This efficiency helps lower healthcare costs while improving patient outcomes.

C. Critical pathways have an unlimited timeframe for completion: Each critical pathway includes a defined timeline with expected outcomes for each phase of care. This structure ensures care is efficient and progress is monitored closely to prevent delays or complications.

D. Nurses should discontinue the critical pathway if variances occur: Variances are deviations from the expected outcomes and are used to evaluate and adjust care. They do not justify discontinuing the entire pathway but rather indicate a need for reassessment or individualized modifications.

Rationale:

A. Bradycardia: Bradycardia is not a typical adverse effect of IV fluid therapy. If anything, fluid overload might contribute to hypertension or reflex tachycardia rather than a slowing of the heart rate.

B. Distended neck veins: Distended neck veins are a common sign of fluid volume overload, a potential adverse effect of IV therapy. This occurs when excess fluid increases venous pressure and can indicate worsening heart function or pulmonary congestion.

C. Weight loss: IV fluid therapy is expected to increase or stabilize weight due to fluid retention, not cause weight loss. Weight loss might instead indicate dehydration or catabolic states, not an adverse reaction to fluid infusion.

D. Bradypnea: Bradypnea is not typically caused by IV fluid therapy. In fluid overload, the more common respiratory symptom is tachypnea or dyspnea due to pulmonary congestion, not a slowed respiratory rate.