A patient is brought to the critical care unit after a motor vehicle crash.On admission,the patient reports dyspnea and chest pain.Upon examination,the nurse notes a lack of breath sounds on the left side and a tracheal shift.The patient suddenly experiences cardiac arrest.What assessment by the nurse takes priority?
A) Heart tones
B) Lung sounds
C) Peripheral pulses
D) Neurological status

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse should listen to lung sounds first.The signs and symptoms the patient experienced are consistent with a tension pneumothorax,which is a reversible cause of cardiac arrest.A tension pneumothorax occurs when air enters the pleural space but cannot escape.Pressure increases in the pleural space and causes the lung to collapse.Symptoms of a tension pneumothorax include dyspnea,chest pain,tachypnea,tachycardia,and jugular venous distension.

A Patient Is Brought to the Critical Care Unit After