Exam 32: Nursing Assessment: Cardiovascular System

While doing the admission assessment for a thin 72-year-old patient, the nurse observes pulsation of the abdominal aorta in the epigastric area. Which action should the nurse take?

To auscultate for S3 or S4 gallops in the mitral area, the nurse listens with the

Which information obtained by the nurse who is admitting the patient for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be most important to report to the health care provider before the MRI?

A patient is scheduled for a cardiac catheterization with coronary angiography. Before the test, the nurse informs the patient that

When assessing a newly admitted patient, the nurse notes a thrill along the left sternal border. To obtain more information about the cause of the thrill, which action will the nurse take next?

When the nurse is monitoring a patient who is undergoing exercise (stress) testing on a treadmill, which assessment finding requires the most rapid action by the nurse?

A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is ordered for a patient with possible endocarditis. Which of these actions included in the standard TEE orders will the nurse need to accomplish first?

While assessing a patient who was admitted with heart failure, the nurse notes that the patient has jugular venous distention ( JVD ) when lying flat in bed. Which action should the nurse take next?

During a physical examination of a patient, the nurse palpates the point of maximal impulse (PMI) in the sixth intercostal space lateral to the left midclavicular line. The most appropriate action for the nurse to take next will be to

The nurse teaches the patient being evaluated for rhythm disturbances with a Holter monitor to

The RN is observing a student nurse who is doing a physical assessment on a patient. The RN will need to intervene immediately if the student nurse

The standard policy on the cardiac unit states, "Notify the health care provider for mean arterial pressure (MAP) less than 70 mm Hg." The nurse will need to call the health care provider about

The nurse has received the laboratory results for a patient who developed chest pain 4 hours ago and may be having a myocardial infarction. The most important laboratory result to review will be

The nurse hears a murmur between the S1 and S2 heart sounds at the patient's left 5th intercostal space and midclavicular line. How will the nurse record this information?

When reviewing the 12-lead electrocardiograph (ECG) for a healthy 86-year-old patient who is having an annual physical examination, which of the following will be of most concern to the nurse?

When auscultating over the patient's abdominal aorta, the nurse hears a humming sound. The nurse documents this finding as a

When admitting a patient for a coronary arteriogram and angiogram, which information about the patient is most important for the nurse to communicate to the health care provider?

Which action will the nurse implement for a patient who arrives for a calcium-scoring CT scan?

To determine the effects of therapy for a patient who is being treated for heart failure, which laboratory result will the nurse plan to review?

After noting a pulse deficit when assessing a patient who has just arrived in the emergency department, the nurse will anticipate that the patient may require