Immediately after a central venous catheter is removed, a patient develops sudden dyspnoea, chest pain, and severe dizziness. What should the nurse do first?
Correct answer: A. Call for emergency assistance and provide high-flow oxygen
- A. Call for emergency assistance and provide high-flow oxygen
- B. Place the patient in a sitting position and offer reassurance
- C. Ask the patient to cough while checking the catheter dressing
- D. Leave the patient briefly to obtain a portable chest radiograph
Explanation
Sudden symptoms after catheter removal may indicate an air embolism or another life-threatening complication. Emergency assistance and oxygen support are required immediately; the patient should not be left alone for diagnostic testing.
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About Clinical Judgement and Prioritisation
Clinical judgement links assessment findings, nursing knowledge and patient responses to a safe decision. Coverage includes ABCDE assessment, recognising actual or potential instability, prioritising airway, breathing and circulation, using urgency and risk rather than routine order, reassessing after intervention, and distinguishing a nursing priority from a medical diagnosis or a task that can wait.
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