A nurse caring for a pregnant woman at 32 weeks of gestation with the diagnosis of severe preeclampsia with pulmonary edema is assisting with the insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC).As the catheter enters the right ventricle,the main priority of nursing assessment is to:

Question

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The initial nursing action after insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter is to monitor electrocardiogram activity to detect any ventricular ectopy.Although fetal well-being is important,the primary nursing assessment at this time is to assess the mother for immediate cardiac changes.It is no longer necessary for the nurse to obtain manual blood pressures because the purpose of the PAC is to monitor internal cardiac pressures.Any adverse cardiac effects after PAC insertion are first detected through observation of monitoring,before the client's sensory perceptions of cardiac decompensation.

A Nurse Caring for a Pregnant Woman at 32 Weeks