Nursing Process Exam Questions Related

Review Nursing Process Exam Questions related questions and content

An adult has a Hickman type central venous catheter and needs to have blood drawn from it. Which of the following should the nurse do first?

  • A. Use sterile technique to assemble supplies needed
  • B. Aspirate and discard the first 10 ml of the blood
  • C. First flush the catheter with heparinized solution, then withdraw the blood
  • D. Remove the cap of the catheter and replace it with a new one
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because flushing the central venous catheter with a heparinized solution before blood withdrawal is essential to maintain catheter patency and prevent clot formation. This step ensures the catheter is clear of any blockages, allowing for accurate blood sampling. Choice A is incorrect because assembling supplies should come after preparing the catheter. Choice B is incorrect as discarding blood before flushing the catheter may lead to inaccurate test results. Choice D is incorrect as replacing the catheter cap without flushing may lead to clot formation and catheter malfunction.