The nurse is providing care for four patients: Patient A, diagnosed with emphysema and has an oxygen saturation of 94% on room air; Patient B, who is postoperative with a hemoglobin level of 8.2 mg/dL (82 g/L); Patient C, newly admitted with a potassium level of 3.8 mEq/L (3.8 mmol/L); and Patient D, who is scheduled for an appendectomy and has a white blood cell (WBC) count of 14,000 mm² (14 x 10°/L). What action should the nurse take next?

Choice A rationale

Listening for bilateral breath sounds is a common method to confirm the correct placement of the ETT1. When the ETT is correctly placed, breath sounds should be heard equally on both sides of the chest.

Choice B rationale

Verifying a capillary refill time of less than 3 seconds is not directly related to confirming the placement of an ETT. Capillary refill time is often used to assess peripheral circulation and hydration status, not airway management.

Choice C rationale

Checking that the ETT markings are between 22 and 26 cm at the teeth line is another method to confirm correct ETT placement. These markings help ensure that the ETT is not too far into the trachea, which could cause one lung to be ventilated more than the other.

Choice D rationale

Observing for symmetrical chest movement is a visual confirmation of correct ETT placement. When the ETT is correctly placed, both sides of the chest should rise and fall equally with each breath.

Choice E rationale

Arranging for a portable chest x-ray is considered the gold standard for confirming ETT location. It provides a visual confirmation that the ETT is in the trachea and not in the esophagus.

Choice A rationale

Noting the presence of an auscultatory gap, which is a period of abnormal silence in Korotkoff sounds during blood pressure measurement, is important. However, in this case, the silence followed by a Korotkoff sound is a normal finding and does not indicate an auscultatory gap.

Choice B rationale

After inflating a blood pressure cuff and releasing the valve, the nurse hears silence followed by a Korotkoff sound. This is a normal finding and indicates that the nurse should continue with the blood pressure assessment.

Choice C rationale

Re-inflating the cuff to a higher number is not necessary in this case as the initial silence followed by a Korotkoff sound is a normal finding.

Choice D rationale

Repositioning the stethoscope over the brachial artery may not resolve the issue of hearing silence followed by a Korotkoff sound. It is important to assess the situation further before making adjustments.