A patient is brought to the emergency department with injuries sustained in a gang fight. The patient's blood pressure is 80/50 mmHg with a pulse of 120 and thready
The nurse will prepare the patient for which test to provide the fastest diagnostic information? 1. Sonogram
2. Complete blood count
3. Urinalysis
4. Serum electrolyte levels
1
Rationale 1: The focused assessment by sonography in trauma or FAST identifies blood in body cavities where it is not supposed to be. The primary focus is on the peritoneum. The patient was in a fight and has a low blood pressure and thready pulse; this diagnostic test would provide the fastest information to help guide care.
Rationale 2: A complete blood count would provide information about blood loss but not about the location of blood loss.
Rationale 3: Urinalysis would provide information about whether there is bleeding in the urinary tract but would be limited to that system.
Rationale 4: Serum electrolyte levels will likely be drawn for baseline but will not provide diagnostic information about the source of bleeding.
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