The nurse is caring for a patient who will be returning to the nursing unit following a cardiac catheterization via the right femoral artery. Which assessment is the highest priority for the nurse to perform when the patient arrives on the unit?
A) Checking the patient's right pedal pulse and warmth of the right leg
B) Checking pulse oximetry and listening to the patient's lung sounds
C) Checking bilateral radial pulses to check for a pulse deficit
D) Estimating the patient's jugular venous pressure

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cardiac catheterization includes the insertion of a large IV needle into the patient's femoral artery. Occlusion of the femoral artery may develop after the procedure leading to faint or absent pedal pulses and loss of warmth to the right leg. The nurse should check the patient's right pedal pulses and leg warmth to ensure that the femoral artery has not become occluded. The other assessments may be performed once the patient's right leg is found to be warm with strong pulses.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient Who Will Be