The nurse is caring for a patient who just returned from a transradial heart catheterization. Which action indicates the priority care for the postprocedure period?

Question

a. The nurse encourages the patient to in-crease fluid intake.
b. The nurse checks the presence and strength of pedal pulses.
c. The nurse places the pulse oximeter on the thumb or first digit of the affected hand.
d. The nurse places the blood pressure cuff on the arm corresponding to the affected hand.

Answer 1

C
Priority postprocedure care involves carefully monitoring circulation checks to ensure adequate blood flow to the affected hand while maintaining adequate compression on the radial artery to prevent bleeding. The patient will return with a compression band over the radial puncture site. By placing the pulse oximetry probe on the thumb or first digit of the affected hand, the nurse can obtain a pulse oximetry reading that is specific to the radial artery. The nurse can compare this value to the patient's baseline and ensure that the circulation is adequate. Increasing fluid intake helps flush dye out of the patient's system, but it is a lesser priority than adequate perfu-sion and hemostasis. Presence and strength of pedal pulses are a priority assessment for a trans-femoral heart cauterization. The nurse should avoid placing the blood pressure cuff on the same arm as the catheterization site because cuff inflation could induce bleeding or compromise circu-lation at the site.