A patient who is in shock is receiving dopamine in addition to IV fluids. What principle should inform the nurse's care planning during the administration of a vasoactive drug?
A) The drug should be discontinued immediately after blood pressure increases.
B) The drug dose should be tapered down once vital signs improve.
C) The patient should have arterial blood gases drawn every 10 minutes during treatment.
D) The infusion rate should be titrated according the patient's subjective sensation of adequate perfusion.
Ans: B
Feedback:
When vasoactive medications are discontinued, they should never be stopped abruptly because this could cause severe hemodynamic instability, perpetuating the shock state. Subjective assessment data are secondary to objective data. Arterial blood gases should be carefully monitored, but every10-minute draws are not the norm.
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