Critical Care Nursing Exam Questions Related

Review Critical Care Nursing Exam Questions related questions and content

The patient is in a progressive care unit following arteriovenous fistula implantation in his left upper arm, and is due to have blood drawn with his next set of vital signs and assessment. When the nurse assesses the patient, the nurse should

  • A. draw blood from the left arm.
  • B. take blood pressures from the left arm.
  • C. start a new intravenous line in the left lower arm.
  • D. auscultate the left arm for a bruit and palpate for a thrill.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because after arteriovenous fistula implantation, it is essential to assess for the presence of a bruit (audible sound caused by turbulent blood flow) and thrill (vibratory sensation) in the access site, which indicates proper functioning of the fistula. This assessment ensures that blood is flowing adequately through the newly created access for dialysis or other procedures. Drawing blood or taking blood pressures from the fistula arm can lead to complications such as clot formation or damage to the fistula. Starting a new IV line in the same arm is contraindicated to avoid compromising the newly created fistula. Thus, auscultating for a bruit and palpating for a thrill are the appropriate nursing actions in this scenario.