Need help with Vital Signs Scenario ASAP!

Nursing Students Student Assist

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I'm in 1st semester of the ADN program, and I have vital signs worksheets to do, but we haven't gone over vital signs in class yet.. so, I'm completely lost. :uhoh21:

Here is the scenario:

A female patient's vital signs prior to surgery are - 98.2, 78, 18, 138/72

Two hours after surgery her vital signs are - 99.1, 102, 26, 92/44

What will you do with this information? What will you assess further?

If anyone could help me with this, I would really appreciate it. I don't know where to start. :mad:

Specializes in PEDS ~ PP ~ NNB & LII Nursery.

You would see respiratory distress with a PE as well I would think.

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I'm in 1st semester of the ADN program, and I have vital signs worksheets to do, but we haven't gone over vital signs in class yet.. so, I'm completely lost. :uhoh21:

Here is the scenario:

A female patient's vital signs prior to surgery are - 98.2, 78, 18, 138/72

Two hours after surgery her vital signs are - 99.1, 102, 26, 92/44

What will you do with this information? What will you assess further?

If anyone could help me with this, I would really appreciate it. I don't know where to start. :mad:

I would start thinking hemmorhagic shock or infection. Clues are the significant drop in the Mean arterial pressure, tachycardia, drop in BP and the increase in temperature. ( though the temp isn't as concerning as the other issues) Report to the doctor immediately and increase her vitals sign checks, implememtn standing orrders that are applicable (fluid bolus, O2 etc...) Listen to lungs, check surgical site for abnormals etc...

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Specializes in M/S/Ortho/Bari/ED.

Oh the horror of getting those kinds of questions in school! It was so frustrating.

Being the newest nurse here, I won't pretend to know anywhere near as much as they do, but my first instinct would be to monitor/look for a possible bleed out somewhere since she is fresh off the table.... I think the point of those questions is to see if you recognize a critical red flag sign or symptom (in this case I would not be so worried about the temp as the hemodynamics).

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Specializes in ER, Med/Surg.
You would see respiratory distress with a PE as well I would think.

The resps are 26, that is tachypnea.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Tachypnea and Resp. Distress are two completely different things. 26 RR a minutes does not equal resp distress.

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