A nurse assesses a client who has a radial artery catheter.Which assessment should the nurse complete first?

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An intra-arterial catheter may cause arterial occlusion,which can lead to absent or decreased perfusion to the extremity.Assessment of an ulnar pulse is one way to assess circulation to the arm in which the catheter is located.The nurse would note that there is enough pressure in the fluid container to keep the system flushed,and would check to see whether the catheter tubing needs to be changed.However,these are not assessments of greatest concern.Because of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia,heparin is not used in most institutions for an arterial catheter.

A Nurse Assesses a Client Who Has a Radial Artery