A 67-year-old man following a cardiac catheterization. Two hours after the procedure, the nurse checks the patient's insertion site in the antecubital space, and the patient complains that his hand is numb.
The nurse should
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Strategy: Answers are a mix of assessments and implementations. Does the assessment answer validate what is going on? No. Determine the outcome of each answer choice. (1) assumes that numbness is related to positioning of hand, not circulatory changes (2) part of assessment, but doesn't indicate status of circulation (3) correct-absent or weak pulse or numbness could indicate problem with circulation, anticoagulants and vasodilators may be ordered (4) assumes that numbness is related to immobility of fingers, not circulatory changes
Nokea