When caring for a patient who has an arterial catheter in the radial artery to monitor blood pressure, which information obtained by the nurse is most important to report to the health care provider?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Redness at the catheter insertion site indicates possible infection. The Allen test is performed before arterial line insertion, and a positive test indicates normal ulnar artery perfusion. A MAP of 86 is normal and the dicrotic notch is normally present on the arterial waveform.

When Caring for a Patient Who Has an Arterial Catheter