So this patient was an older gentleman who was being tx for Ca and had a cardiac Hx.
I ran into the room b/c he was alarming low bp; I took it on his other arm, and got a normal reading. He was A=Ox3, getting IV fluids, had clear speech, color was great, no cp/sob, etc.
left arm was 50's/30's, right arm was wnl.
He said "Oh, that has happened to me before in that arm."
I ran it by my charge nurse and she didn't have anything to add/comment.
Did I miss something huge, or can this happen often?
He looked great, his other VS were fine, he was afebrile. He hadn't voided much but he was coming in with c/o decreased PO's.
Don't cry. The patient told YOU it was something that happens with him, and he was completely stable with no circ symptoms in his arm. Passing it along to the doctor on rounds works.
Specializes in Pediatric Psychiatry, Home Health VNA.
RNcDreams, did this patient have any history of an aortic aneurysm or dissection? The only experience I've ever had with BPs like those was a patient who was dissecting, but the higher BP was significantly elevated.
He did not have a history of dissection. He certainly didn't look like one, either.
I checked into his disposition and he ended up transferring to another facility where he is routinely followed for his cancer care, because he was having persistent issues with his chemo, etc.
Thankfully, he did not transfer because he was decompensating or coding.... SIGH of relief.
I'm proud that I looked at the patient first and not just the machines/numbers.... but I learned from this close call.
nurseodra
4 Posts
Don't cry. The patient told YOU it was something that happens with him, and he was completely stable with no circ symptoms in his arm. Passing it along to the doctor on rounds works.