Medical Surgical HESI Related

Review Medical Surgical HESI related questions and content

An adult woman with primary Raynaud phenomenon develops pallor and then cyanosis of her fingers. After warming her hands, the fingers turn red, and the client reports a burning sensation. What action should the nurse take?

  • A. Apply a cool compress to the affected fingers for 20 minutes
  • B. Secure a pulse oximeter to monitor the client's oxygen saturation
  • C. Report the finding to the healthcare provider as soon as possible
  • D. Continue to monitor the fingers until the color returns to normal
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: In primary Raynaud phenomenon, the fingers go through a color sequence of pallor, cyanosis, and then redness when warmed. The burning sensation reported by the client indicates reperfusion. Continuing to monitor the fingers until the color returns to normal is appropriate in this situation as it ensures that the symptoms are resolving without the need for further intervention. Applying a cool compress could exacerbate the symptoms by causing vasoconstriction. Securing a pulse oximeter to monitor oxygen saturation is not necessary in this case as the issue is related to vasospasm rather than oxygenation. Reporting the finding to the healthcare provider is not urgent unless there are signs of complications or the symptoms do not improve with warming.