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A patient is being treated in the ICU for neurogenic shock secondary to a spinal cord injury. Despite aggressive interventions, the patients mean arterial pressure (MAP) has fallen to 55 mm Hg. The nurse should gauge the onset of acute kidney injury by referring to what laboratory findings? Select all that apply.
- A. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level
- B. Urine specific gravity
- C. Alkaline phosphatase level
- D. Creatinine level
- E. Serum albumin level
Correct Answer: A,B,D
Rationale: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is characterized by an increase in BUN and serum creatinine levels, fluid and electrolyte shifts, acid-base imbalances, and a loss of the renal-hormonal regulation of BP. Urine specific gravity is also affected. Alkaline phosphatase and albumin levels are related to hepatic function.
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A team of nurses are reviewing the similarities and differences between the different classifications of shock. Which subclassifications of circulatory shock should the nurses identify? Select all that apply.
- A. Anaphylactic
- B. Hypovolemic
- C. Cardiogenic
- D. Septic
- E. Neurogenic
Correct Answer: A,D,E
Rationale: The varied mechanisms leading to the initial vasodilation in circulatory shock provide the basis for the further subclassification of shock into three types: septic shock, neurogenic shock, and anaphylactic shock. Hypovolemic and cardiogenic shock are not subclassifications of circulatory shock.
The intensive care nurse caring for a patient in shock is planning assessments and interventions related to the patients nutritional needs. What physiologic process contributes to these increased nutritional needs?
- A. The use of albumin as an energy source by the body because of the need for increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
- B. The loss of fluids due to decreased skin integrity and decreased stomach acids due to increased parasympathetic activity
- C. The release of catecholamines that creates an increase in metabolic rate and caloric requirements
- D. The increase in GI peristalsis during shock and the resulting diarrhea
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Nutritional support is an important aspect of care for patients in shock. Patients in shock may require 3,000 calories daily. This caloric need is directly related to the release of catecholamines and the resulting increase in metabolic rate and caloric requirements. Albumin is not primarily metabolized as an energy source. The special nutritional needs of shock are not related to increased parasympathetic activity, but are instead related to increased sympathetic activity. GI function does not increase during shock.
An 11-year-old boy has been brought to the ED by his teacher, who reports that the boy may be having a really bad allergic reaction to peanuts after trading lunches with a peer. The triage nurses rapid assessment reveals the presence of respiratory and cardiac arrest. What interventions should the nurse prioritize?
- A. Establishing central venous access and beginning fluid resuscitation
- B. Establishing a patent airway and beginning cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- C. Establishing peripheral IV access and administering IV epinephrine
- D. Performing a comprehensive assessment and initiating rapid fluid replacement
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: If cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest are imminent or have occurred, CPR is performed. As well, a patent airway is an immediate priority. Epinephrine is not withheld pending IV access and fluid resuscitation is not a priority.
The nurse, a member of the health care team in the ED, is caring for a patient who is determined to be in the irreversible stage of shock. What would be the most appropriate nursing intervention?
- A. Provide opportunities for the family to spend time with the patient, and help them to understand the irreversible stage of shock.
- B. Inform the patients family immediately that the patient will likely not survive to allow the family time to make plans and move forward.
- C. Closely monitor fluid replacement therapy, and inform the family that the patient will probably survive and return to normal life.
- D. Protect the patients airway, optimize intravascular volume, and initiate the early rehabilitation process.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The irreversible (or refractory) stage of shock represents the point along the shock continuum at which organ damage is so severe that the patient does not respond to treatment and cannot survive. Providing opportunities for the family to spend time with the patient and helping them to understand the irreversible stage of shock is the best intervention. Informing the patients family early that the patient will likely not survive does allow the family to make plans and move forward, but informing the family too early will rob the family of hope and interrupt the grieving process. The chance of surviving the irreversible (or refractory) stage of shock is very small, and the nurse needs to help the family cope with the reality of the situation. With the chances of survival so small, the priorities shift from aggressive treatment and safety to addressing the end-of-life issues.
When caring for a patient in shock, one of the major nursing goals is to reduce the risk that the patient will develop complications of shock. How can the nurse best achieve this goal?
- A. Provide a detailed diagnosis and plan of care in order to promote the patients and familys coping.
- B. Keep the physician updated with the most accurate information because in cases of shock the nurse often cannot provide relevant interventions.
- C. Monitor for significant changes and evaluate patient outcomes on a scheduled basis focusing on blood pressure and skin temperature.
- D. Understand the underlying mechanisms of shock, recognize the subtle and more obvious signs, and then provide rapid assessment.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Shock is a life-threatening condition with a variety of underlying causes. It is critical that the nurse apply the nursing process as the guide for care. Shock is unpredictable and rapidly changing so the nurse must understand the underlying mechanisms of shock. The nurse must also be able to recognize the subtle as well as more obvious signs and then provide rapid assessment and response to provide the patient with the best chance for recovery. Coping skills are important, but not the ultimate priority. Keeping the physician updated with the most accurate information is important, but the nurse is in the best position to provide rapid assessment and response, which gives the patient the best chance for survival. Monitoring for significant changes is critical, and evaluating patient outcomes is always a part of the nursing process, but the subtle signs and symptoms of shock are as important as the more obvious signs, such as blood pressure and skin temperature. Assessment must lead to diagnosis and interventions.