An outpatient scheduled for an arterial blood sample enters the pulmonary lab 20 minutes late and out of breath, having run up four flights of stairs. What should you do?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Waiting 5 minutes will give the patient some time to recover from running up the stairs, reducing the chances of inaccurate results due to hyperventilation. Postponing the blood sample until tomorrow or scolding the patient are not necessary or constructive responses, and scolding the patient for using the stairs may discourage them from engaging in physical activity.

An Outpatient Scheduled for an Arterial Blood Sample Enters the Pulmonary