Question

Arterial Blood Gas

1. Where are most samples drawn from?
Options:
a. Arteries
b. Veins
c. Capillaries
d. Lungs
2. How long should pressure be applied to artery after collecting a sample?
a. 5 seconds
b. 10 seconds
c. 15 seconds
d. 20 seconds
3. What test should be performed before collecting ABG on a client?
a. Blood glucose test
b. Chest X-ray
c. ECG (Electrocardiogram)
d. Lung function test
1) Arteries
2) Veins
3) Capillaries
4) d. Lungs
5) a. 5 seconds
6) b. 10 seconds
7) c. 15 seconds
8) d. 20 seconds
9) a. Blood glucose test
10) b. Chest X-ray
11) c. ECG (Electrocardiogram)
12) d. Lung function test

Answer 1

ABG samples are drawn from arteries, and after collection, pressure should be applied to the artery for 20 seconds. A modified Allen test is necessary before an ABG collection to ensure collateral circulation. Arteries can be used for pulse measurement unlike veins due to the pulsatile nature of arterial blood flow.

Step-by-step explanation:

Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) samples are most commonly drawn from arteries. After collecting an ABG sample, pressure should be applied to the artery for 20 seconds to prevent bleeding and bruising. Before collecting an ABG on a client, a modified Allen test should be performed to ensure collateral circulation is adequate.

Arteries differ from veins in that arteries carry blood away from the heart under high pressure, whereas veins return blood to the heart. Blood pressure refers to the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels, and hypertension is a condition with persistently elevated blood pressure. When measuring your pulse, you are feeling the pressure wave created by the heartbeat that travels along the arteries; this cannot be felt in veins as the pressure there is much lower and blood flow is not pulsatile.

The importance of using mercury manometers for measuring arterial blood pressure stems from the fact that mercury is denser than water, making it easier to measure the higher pressures found in arteries.