HESI Test Bank Medical Surgical Nursing Related

Review HESI Test Bank Medical Surgical Nursing related questions and content

A client who is receiving general anesthesia begins to demonstrate symptoms of malignant hyperthermia. Which intervention should the perioperative nurse prepare to implement first?

  • A. Ensure patency of an indwelling catheter and measure hourly intake and output.
  • B. Prepare for cessation of the anesthesia and the surgical procedure.
  • C. Obtain specimens of ABGs and serum electrolytes.
  • D. Initiate cooling measures using iced normal saline by nasogastric lavage.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Prepare for cessation of the anesthesia and the surgical procedure. Malignant hyperthermia is a severe reaction to certain medications used during general anesthesia. The immediate intervention to manage malignant hyperthermia is to stop the triggering agents, which include anesthesia and surgery. Ensuring patency of an indwelling catheter and measuring intake and output, obtaining specimens of ABGs and serum electrolytes, and initiating cooling measures are important interventions but should follow the immediate action of stopping the anesthesia and surgery to address the life-threatening condition of malignant hyperthermia.