A patient's arterial line waveform has become damped.What action should the nurse take to correct the situation?
A) Check for kinks, blood, and air bubbles in the pressure tubing.
B) Prepare for a normal saline fluid challenge for hypotension.
C) Discontinue the arterial line as it has become nonfunctional.
D) Check the patient's lung sounds for a change in patient condition.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A damped waveform occurs when communication from the artery to the transducer is interrupted and produces false values on the monitor and oscilloscope.Damping is caused by a fibrin "sleeve" that partially occludes the tip of the catheter,by kinks in the catheter or tubing,or by air bubbles in the system.

A Patient's Arterial Line Waveform Has Become Damped