The nurse returns from the cardiac catheterization laboratory with a patient following insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter and assists in transferring the patient from the stretcher to the bed

Prior to obtaining a cardiac output, which action is most important for the nurse to complete? a. Document a pulmonary artery catheter occlusion pressure.
b. Zero reference the transducer system at the phlebostatic axis.
c. Inflate the pulmonary artery catheter balloon with 1 mL air.
d. Inject 10 mL of 0.9% normal saline into the proximal port.


B
To ensure accurate measurement, zero referencing of the transducer system is a priority action after moving a patient and should be completed prior to injecting 10 mL of room temperature 0.9% normal saline. A pulmonary artery catheter occlusion pressure should be documented before obtaining a cardiac output, but without zero referencing the system following movement of a patient, the obtained value may be inaccurate. Inflating the pulmonary artery catheter balloon with 1 mL of air, while appropriate, is not a step required prior to obtaining a cardiac output.

Nursing

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