Common adult medical-surgical conditions with the priority nursing assessment or intervention for each.
45 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- A patient reports sudden chest pain. What is the priority nursing action?
- Obtain a 12-lead ECG immediately
- What should be monitored daily in a patient with heart failure to track fluid status?
- Body weight, taken at the same time each day
- What position should a patient in acute pulmonary edema be placed in?
- High Fowler's position
- Why is oxygen given at a low flow rate (1 to 2 L/min) to a COPD patient?
- To avoid suppressing the hypoxic drive to breathe
- What is the priority medication during an acute asthma exacerbation?
- A short-acting beta agonist such as albuterol, given by nebulizer
- In diabetic ketoacidosis, what is given before insulin therapy is started?
- IV fluid replacement with normal saline
- What should be given first to a conscious, alert patient with hypoglycemia?
- 15 to 20 grams of a fast-acting oral carbohydrate
- What is the priority assessment for a patient with suspected ischemic stroke?
- The time the patient was last known well (symptom onset)
- What head-of-bed position is used to help manage increased intracranial pressure?
- Head of bed elevated 30 degrees
- During a seizure, what is the nurse's priority action?
- Protect the patient from injury without restraining them
- Why should nothing be placed in the mouth of a patient having a seizure?
- It can cause airway obstruction or dental/oral injury
- What is the priority assessment for a patient with an upper GI bleed?
- Vital signs, to detect early signs of hypovolemic shock
- What diet order is prioritized for a patient with acute pancreatitis?
- NPO status, to rest the pancreas
- What should be measured daily in a patient with cirrhosis and ascites?
- Abdominal girth
- What medication is given to reduce ammonia levels in hepatic encephalopathy?
- Lactulose