The nurse is caring for a patient with hyperkalemia. Which body system assessment is the priority?
Cardiac
Neurological
Gastrointestinal
Respiratory
The Correct Answer is A
A. Hyperkalemia can lead to dangerous cardiac arrhythmias and other heart-related complications due to its effect on the electrical conduction system of the heart, making cardiac assessment the priority.
B. While neurological assessment is important in various conditions, it is secondary to assessing cardiac status in hyperkalemia.
C. Gastrointestinal symptoms can occur with hyperkalemia, but they do not pose an immediate life-threatening risk like cardiac issues do.
D. Respiratory assessment is essential in many contexts, but the immediate threat of hyperkalemia lies in its impact on heart function, making cardiac assessment the most critical.
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Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. While monitoring cardiac output can provide insights into heart function, it does not directly determine the presence of dysrhythmias.
B. Peripheral extremity circulation is influenced by cardiac output but is not the primary focus of monitoring it.
C. Cardiac output is essential for determining the heart's ability to meet the body's oxygenation requirements; low cardiac output can lead to inadequate oxygen delivery.
D. Ventilation status refers to the respiratory function and is not directly assessed through cardiac output measurements.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Patient-centered care emphasizes understanding the patient’s needs and preferences, but it does not specifically address practice gaps.
B. Quality improvement focuses on identifying and addressing discrepancies between current practices and best practices, aiming to improve patient care outcomes.
C. Teamwork and collaboration involve working effectively with others to provide care, not directly identifying practice gaps.
D. Safety is about preventing harm to patients, but quality improvement is more focused on systematic evaluation and process improvement.