The nurse is assisting in the placement of a pulmonary artery catheter and notes the presence of a right ventricular waveform. Which of the following should the nurse do?
1. assume that all pressure readings going forward will be inaccurate
2. call for an immediate chest x-ray
3. advance the catheter
4. immediately inform the physician
4
Rationale: During the placement of a pulmonary artery catheter, the presence of a right ventricular waveform is expected. Once the catheter has been properly positioned in the pulmonary artery, a change to a right ventricular waveform should be reported immediately to the physician to expedite repositioning of the catheter. The catheter has not been placed yet so there are no readings. There is no need to call for a chest x-ray. The physician will advance the catheter and not the nurse.
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