A patient with left-sided heart failure is admitted to the unit. Which assessment is a priority upon admission?
1. Abdominal assessment
2. Neurological status
3. Presence of peripheral edema
4. Airway and oxygenation status
4
Rationale 1: Abdominal assessment will be included in the admission assessment, but problems with this area are more common in right-sided failure.
Rationale 2: Neurological assessment is important and will reflect cerebral perfusion, but it is not the highest priority assessment listed.
Rationale 3: Extremities will be assessed for edema, but this finding is found more frequently with right-sided failure.
Rationale 4: The patient with left-sided failure will exhibit symptoms of a respiratory nature. The priority assessment for this patient would be the airway and oxygenation status.
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