A patient was admitted to the critical care unit with gram-negative sepsis 5 days ago

Today there is continual oozing from his intravenous sites, and ecchymosis of the skin is noted beneath his automatic blood pressure cuff. On his laboratory work, his platelets are normal, and his international normalized ratio is elevated. What other laboratory value would be most valuable in definitively diagnosing the patient's condition?

a. Fibrin split products
b. D-Dimer level
c. Bleeding time
d. White blood cell count


B
D-Dimers are exclusively indicative of clot degradation and assist in determining the degree of coagulopathy.

Nursing

You might also like to view...

Which patients in a community clinic would the nurse recommend receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine?

A) Women younger than 30 years of age B) Healthy men younger than 25 years of age C) Any male who has sex with men D) Children starting at 13 and 14 years of age

Nursing

Which situation constitutes nurse abandonment of a home health care patient?

1. The nurse fails to assess the patient on a daily basis. 2. The nurse fails to file the patient's Medicare claim. 3. The nurse terminates the relationship without affording the patient reasonable notice. 4. The nurse terminates the relationship by mutual accord.

Nursing

Matching

a. _____ in myocardial cells function as electrical connections and allow the cells to conduct electrical impulses very rapidly. b. Typically results when the heart's demand for oxygen exceeds its supply from the coronary circulation c. Specialized nerve tissue located in the internal carotid arteries and the aortic arch that detect changes in blood pressure d. The _____ septum separates the right and left atria. e. Electrolyte very important in cardiac muscle contraction. f. A negative _____ effect refers to a decrease in heart rate. g. Space between the lungs that contains the heart, great vessels, trachea, and esophagus, among other structures h. Pulmonary arteries and veins, aorta, superior and inferior vena cavae i. Term used to refer to distinct conditions caused by a similar sequence of pathologic events—a temporary or permanent blockage of a coronary artery j. Amount of blood flowing into the right atrium each minute from the systemic circulation k. Sensors in the internal carotid arteries and aortic arch that detect changes in the concentration of hydrogen ions (pH), oxygen, and carbon dioxide in the blood l. A buildup of excess blood or fluid in the pericardial space can cause cardiac _____. 1. Acute coronary syndromes 2. Chronotropic 3. Tamponade 4. Great vessels 5. Gap junctions 6. Chemoreceptors 7. Interatrial 8. Mediastinum 9. Myocardial ischemia 10. Venous return 11. Baroreceptors 12. Calcium

Nursing

A client is preparing to take a sitz bath for the first time. What will the nurse do?

1. Allow the client privacy during the sitz bath. 2. Place a call bell well within reach and check on the client frequently. 3. Discourage the client from taking a sitz bath. 4. Check on the client after the sitz bath.

Nursing