Question

A patient is admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with a diagnosis of hypertension emergency/crisis. The patient's blood pressure (BP) is 200/130 mm Hg. The nurse is preparing to administer IV Nitropress (nitroprusside). Upon assessment, which of the following patient findings requires immediate intervention by the nurse?

A. Urine output of 40 cc/mL over the last hour
B. Left arm numbness and weakness
C. Nausea and severe headache
D. Chest pain score of 3/10 (on a scale of 1 to 10)

Answer 1

In a patient with a hypertensive emergency and a blood pressure of
`200/130 mm Hg`, the finding of left arm numbness and weakness requires immediate intervention by the nurse, possibly indicating a neurological issue or stroke.

Step-by-step explanation:

A patient is admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with a diagnosis of hypertension emergency/crisis. The patient's blood pressure (BP) is
`200/130 mm Hg`. The nurse is preparing to administer IV Nitropress (nitroprusside). Upon assessment, which of the following patient findings requires immediate intervention by the nurse? Considering the urgency of all the symptoms presented, left arm numbness and weakness is the finding that requires immediate intervention.

This symptom could be indicative of a neurological impairment or a stroke, and in the context of a hypertensive crisis, it is especially concerning. The other symptoms, such as a urine output of
`40 cc/mL`over the last hour, nausea and severe headache, and a chest pain score of
`3/10`, are also important but do not typically suggest an immediate life-threatening situation like a potential stroke associated with left arm numbness and weakness.