Lewis Ch 66: Shock Sepsis and Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome Flashcards
A 78-kg patient in septic shock has a pulse rate of 120 beats/min with low central venous pressure and pulmonary artery wedge pressure. After initial fluid volume resuscitation, the patient’s urine output has been 30 mL/hr for the past 3 hours. Which order by the health care provider should the nurse question?
a. Administer furosemide (Lasix) 40 mg IV.
b. Increase normal saline infusion to 250 mL/hr.
c. Give hydrocortisone (Solu-Cortef) 100 mg IV.
d. Use norepinephrine to keep systolic BP above 90 mm Hg.
a. Administer furosemide (Lasix) 40 mg IV.
Furosemide will lower the filling pressures and renal perfusion further for the patient with septic shock. Patients in septic shock need large amounts of fluid replacement. If the patient is still hypotensive after initial volume resuscitation with minimally 30 mL/kg, vasopressors such as norepinephrine may be added. IV corticosteroids may be considered for patients in septic shock who cannot maintain an adequate BP with vasopressor therapy despite fluid resuscitation.
A nurse is caring for a patient whose hemodynamic monitoring indicates a blood pressure of 92/54 mm Hg, a pulse of 64 beats/min, and a high pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP). Which intervention prescribed by the health care provider should the nurse question?
a. Elevate head of bed to 30 degrees.
b. Infuse normal saline at 250 mL/hr.
c. Hold nitroprusside if systolic BP is less than 90 mm Hg.
d. Titrate dobutamine to keep systolic BP is greater than 90 mm Hg.
b. Infuse normal saline at 250 mL/hr.
The patient’s elevated PAWP indicates volume excess in relation to cardiac pumping ability, consistent with cardiogenic shock. A saline infusion at 250 mL/hr will worsen the volume excess. The other actions will help to improve cardiac output, which should lower the PAWP and may raise the BP.
A patient with massive trauma and possible spinal cord injury is admitted to the emergency department (ED). Which assessment finding by the nurse will help confirm a diagnosis of neurogenic shock?
a. Inspiratory crackles
b. Heart rate 45 beats/min
c. Cool, clammy extremities
d. Temperature 101.2° F (38.4° C)
b. Heart rate 45 beats/min
Neurogenic shock is characterized by hypotension and bradycardia. The other findings would be more consistent with other types of shock.
An older patient with cardiogenic shock is cool and clammy. Hemodynamic monitoring indicates a high systemic vascular resistance (SVR). Which intervention should the nurse anticipate?
a. Increase the rate for the dopamine infusion.
b. Decrease the rate for the nitroglycerin infusion.
c. Increase the rate for the sodium nitroprusside infusion.
d. Decrease the rate for the 5% dextrose in normal saline infusion.
c. Increase the rate for the sodium nitroprusside infusion.
Nitroprusside is an arterial vasodilator and will decrease the SVR and afterload, which will improve cardiac output. Changes in the D5/.9 NS and nitroglycerin infusions will not directly decrease SVR. Increasing the dopamine will tend to increase SVR.
After a patient who has septic shock receives 2 L of normal saline intravenously, the central venous pressure is 10 mm Hg and the blood pressure is 82/40 mm Hg. What medication should the nurse anticipate?
a. Furosemide
b. Nitroglycerin
c. Norepinephrine
d. Sodium nitroprusside
c. Norepinephrine
When fluid resuscitation is unsuccessful, vasopressor drugs are given to increase the systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and blood pressure and improve tissue perfusion. Furosemide would cause diuresis and further decrease the BP. Nitroglycerin would decrease the preload and further drop cardiac output and BP. Nitroprusside is an arterial vasodilator and would further decrease SVR.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the pantoprazole (Protonix) given to a patient with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), which assessment will the nurse perform?
a. Auscultate bowel sounds.
b. Ask the patient about nausea.
c. Check stools for occult blood.
d. Palpate for abdominal tenderness.
c. Check stools for occult blood.
Proton pump inhibitors are given to decrease the risk for stress ulcers in critically ill patients. The other assessments will also be done, but these will not help in determining the effectiveness of the pantoprazole administration.
A patient with cardiogenic shock has the following vital signs: BP 102/50, pulse 128, respirations 28. The pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) is high, and cardiac output is low. Which treatment would the nurse expect to be prescribed?
a. Furosemide
b. Hydrocortisone
c. Epinephrine drip
d. 5% albumin infusion
a. Furosemide
The PAWP indicates that the patient’s preload is elevated. Furosemide is indicated to reduce the preload and improve cardiac output. Epinephrine would further increase the heart rate and myocardial oxygen demand. 5% albumin would also increase the PAWP. Hydrocortisone might be considered for septic or anaphylactic shock.
The emergency department (ED) nurse receives report that a seriously injured patient involved in a motor vehicle crash is being transported to the facility with an estimated arrival in 5 minutes. What should the nurse obtain in preparation for the patient’s arrival?
a. A dopamine infusion
b. A hypothermia blanket
c. Lactated Ringer’s solution
d. Two 16-gauge IV catheters
d. Two 16-gauge IV catheters
A patient with multiple trauma may require fluid resuscitation to prevent or treat hypovolemic shock, so the nurse will anticipate the need for 2 large-bore IV lines to administer normal saline. Lactated Ringer’s solution should be used cautiously and would not be prescribed until the patient has been assessed for liver abnormalities. Vasopressor infusion is not used as the initial therapy for hypovolemic shock. Patients in shock need to be kept warm not cool.
Which finding is the best indicator that the fluid resuscitation for a 90-kg patient with hypovolemic shock has been effective?
a. There are no signs of hemorrhage.
b. Hemoglobin is within normal limits.
c. Urine output 65 mL over the past hour.
d. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) is 72 mm Hg.
c. Urine output 65 mL over the past hour.
Assessment of end organ perfusion, such as an adequate urine output, is the best indicator that fluid resuscitation has been successful. Urine output should be equal to or more than 0.5 mL/kg/hr. The hemoglobin level and MAP are useful in determining the effects of fluid administration, but they are not as useful as data indicating good organ perfusion. The absence of hemorrhage helps to prevent further fluid loss but does not reflect fluid balance.
Which intervention will the nurse include in the plan of care for a patient who has cardiogenic shock?
a. Check temperature every 2 hours.
b. Monitor breath sounds frequently.
c. Maintain patient in supine position.
d. Assess skin for flushing and itching.
b. Monitor breath sounds frequently.
Because pulmonary congestion and dyspnea are characteristics of cardiogenic shock, the nurse should assess the breath sounds frequently. The head of the bed is usually elevated to decrease dyspnea in patients with cardiogenic shock. Elevated temperature and flushing or itching of the skin are not typical of cardiogenic shock.
Norepinephrine has been prescribed for a patient who was admitted with dehydration and hypotension. Which data indicate that the nurse should consult with the health care provider before starting the norepinephrine?
a. The patient is receiving low dose dopamine.
b. The patient’s central venous pressure is 3 mm Hg.
c. The patient is in sinus tachycardia at 120 beats/min.
d. The patient has had no urine output since admission.
b. The patient’s central venous pressure is 3 mm Hg.
Adequate fluid administration is essential before giving vasopressors to patients with hypovolemic shock. The patient’s low central venous pressure indicates a need for more volume replacement. The other patient data are not contraindications to norepinephrine administration.
A nurse is assessing a patient who is receiving a nitroprusside infusion to treat cardiogenic shock. Which finding indicates that the drug is effective?
a. No heart murmur
b. Skin is warm and pink
c. Decreased troponin level
d. Blood pressure of 92/40 mm Hg
b. Skin is warm and pink
Warm, pink, and dry skin indicates that perfusion to tissues is improved. Because nitroprusside is a vasodilator, the blood pressure may be low even if the drug is effective. Absence of a heart murmur and a decrease in troponin level are not indicators of improvement in shock.
Which assessment information is most important for the nurse to obtain when evaluating whether treatment of a patient with anaphylactic shock has been effective?
a. Heart rate
b. Orientation
c. Blood pressure
d. Oxygen saturation
d. Oxygen saturation
Because the airway edema that is associated with anaphylaxis can affect airway and breathing, the O2 saturation is the most critical assessment. Improvements in the other assessments will also be expected with effective treatment of anaphylactic shock.
Which data collected by the nurse caring for a patient who has cardiogenic shock indicate that the patient may be developing multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS)?
a. The patient’s serum creatinine level is high.
b. The patient reports intermittent chest pressure.
c. The patient’s extremities are cool, and pulses are 1+.
d. The patient has bilateral crackles throughout lung fields.
a. The patient’s serum creatinine level is high.
The high serum creatinine level indicates that the patient has renal failure as well as heart failure. The crackles, chest pressure, and cool extremities are all symptoms consistent with the patient’s diagnosis of cardiogenic shock.
A patient with septic shock has a BP of 70/46 mm Hg, pulse of 136 beats/min, respirations of 32 breaths/min, temperature of 104° F, and blood glucose of 246 mg/dL. Which intervention ordered by the health care provider should the nurse implement first?
a. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) 650 mg rectally.
b. Administer normal saline IV at 500 mL/hr.
c. Start norepinephrine to keep blood pressure above 90 mm Hg.
d. Start insulin drip to maintain blood glucose at 110 to 150 mg/dL.
b. Administer normal saline IV at 500 mL/hr.
Because of the decreased preload associated with septic shock, fluid resuscitation is the initial therapy. The other actions also are appropriate and should be initiated quickly as well.