Question

The nurse caring for a patient in shock notifies the health care provider of the patient's deteriorating status when the patient's ABG results include ___.

a. pH 7.48, PaCO2 33 mm Hg.
b. pH 7.33, PaCO2 30 mm Hg.
c. pH 7.41, PaCO2 50 mm Hg.
d. pH 7.38, PaCO2 45 mm Hg.

Answer 1

The nurse should notify the health care provider when the patient's ABG results show acidosis. In this case, the ABG result with a pH of 7.31 and pCO2 higher than normal suggests respiratory acidosis.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse caring for a patient in shock would notify the health care provider when the patient's ABG results include a blood pH below 7.35, indicating acidosis. Acidosis can be caused by metabolic or respiratory disorders. Hence, to determine if the acidosis is respiratory or metabolic, we need to evaluate the pCO2 level. In this case, the ABG result with a pH of 7.31 and pCO2 higher than normal suggests respiratory acidosis, as the pCO2 is outside the normal range of male (35-48 mm Hg) and female (32-45 mm Hg).