A nurse is caring for a school-age child who has a new prescription for continuous pulse oximetry monitoring. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Warm the skin prior to probe placement.
Reposition the probe every 2 hr.
Tape the wire to the palm of the hand.
Apply the sensor to the index fingernail.
The Correct Answer is B
Answer: B. Reposition the probe every 2 hours.
Rationale:
- A. Warm the skin prior to probe placement: While cold fingers can lead to inaccurate readings, warming the skin is not an essential step and is not routinely recommended in clinical practice.
- B. Reposition the probe every 2 hours: This is correct. Continuous pressure from the probe in one spot can cause skin breakdown and pressure injuries. Repositioning the probe every 2 hours helps to prevent this and ensure accurate readings.
- C. Tape the wire to the palm of the hand: This is incorrect. The pulse oximeter probe should be placed on a vascular site, such as a fingertip or earlobe. Taping the wire to the palm would not provide accurate readings.
- D. Apply the sensor to the index fingernail: This is incorrect. The fingernail does not have sufficient blood flow for accurate pulse oximetry readings. The probe should be placed on the fleshy pad of the fingertip.
Therefore, the most important action for the nurse to take is to reposition the probe every 2 hours to prevent skin breakdown and ensure accurate readings.
Additional Points:
- The nurse should also choose a clean and dry site for probe placement.
- The probe should be snug but not too tight.
- The nurse should monitor the child for signs of skin breakdown, such as redness, swelling, or pain.
- If the child is restless or active, the nurse may need to secure the probe with additional tape or a special wrap.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Ensuring the infant bottle feeds for 45 minutes is not recommended for an infant with heart failure. Prolonged feeding sessions can lead to increased fatigue and stress on the infant's cardiovascular system, exacerbating the heart failure symptoms.
Choice B rationale:
Administering digoxin for a pulse of 70/min is not appropriate. Digoxin is commonly used in heart failure cases to improve cardiac contractility and reduce heart rate. However, giving digoxin solely based on the heart rate without considering other factors can lead to potential overdose and adverse effects.
Choice C rationale:
(Correct Choice) Allowing for frequent rest periods is crucial in the plan of care for an infant with heart failure. Infants with heart failure often experience fatigue and difficulty feeding due to compromised cardiac function. Allowing them to rest between activities helps conserve energy and supports their overall well-being.
Choice D rationale:
Maintaining the infant in a supine position is not the best choice for an infant with heart failure. While the supine position is recommended for safe sleep to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), it may not be optimal for an infant with heart failure. An inclined position may be more suitable to alleviate potential respiratory distress.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Administer two puffs of albuterol. This is the correct answer because albuterol is a bronchodilator that helps to relieve acute asthma symptoms by opening up the airways. In a child experiencing difficulty breathing due to asthma, prompt administration of albuterol can help alleviate the symptoms and improve breathing.
Choice B rationale:
Place the child in the supine position. Placing the child in the supine position can further compromise their breathing, especially in a situation of asthma exacerbation. This position can restrict the airways and make breathing more difficult, so it is not an appropriate action.
Choice C rationale:
Encourage the use of a flutter mucus clearance device. While mucus clearance devices can be helpful for individuals with chronic respiratory conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, it is not the priority action for a child experiencing acute asthma symptoms. The immediate focus should be on relieving the airway constriction and addressing the breathing difficulty.
Choice D rationale:
Instruct the child to perform controlled breathing exercises. Controlled breathing exercises might be useful for anxiety and panic management, but in an acute asthma episode, the child's primary need is to open up the airways and improve breathing. Albuterol administration takes precedence over breathing exercises in this situation.
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