The nurse admits the patient to the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) after hand surgery. The patient is groggy but can respond after receiving conscious sedation and regional anesthesia. Which action by the nurse is priority?
a. Position the head to maintain a patent airway.
b. Elevate the affected hand higher than the level of the heart.
c. Monitor the circulatory status in the oper-ative hand.
d. Measure the core body temperature.
A
Although the patient did not receive general anesthesia, the nurse's priority is maintaining the airway because short-acting benzodiazepines and opioids used during conscious sedation poten-tially depress respirations. If the patient is very lethargic, he or she may have trouble maintaining the airway and require temporary support. After establishing a stable airway, breathing, and cir-culation, the nurse elevates the hand according to the provider's preference while assessing it. Monitoring the circulatory status in the hand that was operated on is essential but not a priority. Checking the temperature is important but is not the priority.
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