A client is in skeletal traction. Which complication should the nurse address first?
A) feeling of doom, increased anxiety, sitting upright
B) nausea, vomiting, gastric reflux
C) elevated temperature, pulse, and blood pressure
D) loss of function of leg, numbness and tingling, edema
Apparently the answer is A. I understand that all of these are important but I would have thought that C would be priority. Can anyone tell me why I'm wrong?? Thanks for your help!
I hate questions like this, because I would've honestly selected B. I would use my ABC's, but in my head it's not good for a patient in skeletal traction to have vomiting and gastric reflux because there's a higher risk for aspiration. I thought that was a higher priority since it's the A in ABCs. Then again, I didn't consider the 'impending doom' to be a sign of a PE. A pulmonary embolism is more critical..... but these questions seem to be tricky!
A client is in skeletal traction. Which complication should the nurse address first?
A) feeling of doom, increased anxiety, sitting upright
B) nausea, vomiting, gastric reflux
C) elevated temperature, pulse, and blood pressure
D) loss of function of leg, numbness and tingling, edema
Apparently the answer is A. I understand that all of these are important but I would have thought that C would be priority. Can anyone tell me why I'm wrong?? Thanks for your help!
--Matt--
The answer is A because this is a classic sign of PE.
Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, home&pub health, pvt duty.
The pt is in SKELETAL TRACTION and is experiencing
A) feeling of doom, increased anxiety, sitting upright
B) nausea, vomiting, gastric reflux
C) elevated temperature, pulse, and blood pressure
D) loss of function of leg, numbness and tingling, edema
Which complication should be addressed first
Skeletal traction and the person sits upright...seems to be a problem here. Then the pt is also experiencing doom, and anxiety. Seems to me that this issue is the most important...as another said it could be PE or any other life threatening problem. When was the last time you saw someone in traction but is now 'sittng upright'. This statement should give alert the student that the answer probably is A.
yooperPN
63 Posts
I hate questions like this, because I would've honestly selected B. I would use my ABC's, but in my head it's not good for a patient in skeletal traction to have vomiting and gastric reflux because there's a higher risk for aspiration. I thought that was a higher priority since it's the A in ABCs. Then again, I didn't consider the 'impending doom' to be a sign of a PE. A pulmonary embolism is more critical..... but these questions seem to be tricky!