The patient arrives in the postanesthesia care unit after a cardiac catheterization via the left femoral artery to assess the right atrium.Which patient datum is the nurse's priority to assess perfusion of the affected extremity after the procedure?

Question

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To access the right heart,the provider used a femoral approach,which is the site where bleeding would occur after the procedure.The nurse measures vital signs every 15 minutes after a cardiac catheterization; however,unless the femoral vein is bleeding,the vital signs provide secondary evidence about the perfusion to the affected extremity.The nurse palpates the unaffected extremity as a comparison for the affected extremity.Applying pressure is a nursing intervention and will not provide patient data regarding perfusion.

The Patient Arrives in the Postanesthesia Care Unit After a Cardiac