George, an 85yearold man with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, was rushed to the emergency department with increasing shortness of breath, restlessness, and difficulty communicating due to his inability to complete a sentence. On assessment, tachycardia and a bounding pulse were noted. Wheezes could be heard in the lower lobes. His blood gas shows a pH of 7.3, PaCO2 of 68 mmHg, HCO3 of 28 mmol/L, and PaO2 of 60 mmHg. How would you interpret this?

Choice A reason: Neurological checks are essential after spinal surgery to monitor for any changes or deterioration in the patient's neurological status. The frequency of these checks can vary based on the patient's condition, but a common standard is to perform them every 4 hours or sooner. However, in some cases, especially immediately post operation, checks may be required more frequently, such as every 2 hours, to ensure any complications are identified and managed promptly.

Choice B reason: While mobilization is an important aspect of postsurgical care to prevent complications such as deep vein thrombosis, positioning a patient in a chair every 2 hours may not be appropriate immediately following spinal surgery. The patient's mobility and pain level must be assessed, and activities should be gradually increased as tolerated.

Choice C reason: Inspecting the spinal dressing is important to identify signs of infection or complications. However, clear drainage is not typically expected and could indicate cerebrospinal fluid leakage, which requires immediate medical attention.

Choice D reason: The term "criminal checks" is not relevant to nursing care and seems to be a typographical error. The nurse's focus should be on clinical assessments and interventions related to the patient's health status.

Choice A reason: The medication administration record is an important document, but it is not the primary source for verification before administering blood products. It is used to record the administration after the fact.

Choice B reason: The identification wristband is the priority source for verification. It contains the client's essential information, such as name and hospital ID, which must match the blood product label to ensure patient safety⁸.

Choice C reason: The order sheet contains the physician's orders, which is crucial for verifying what has been prescribed but is secondary to the identification wristband for the actual administration process.

Choice D reason: The chart contains a comprehensive record of the client's medical history and care but is not the primary source for verification when administering blood products.