Question

Postoperative patient in the ICU reports new chest pain. What actions have the highest priority?

A) Administer pain medication
B) Notify the surgeon
C) Obtain a 12-lead ECG
D) Assess oxygen saturation

Answer 1

C) Obtain a 12-lead ECG Assessing oxygen saturation is important but obtaining a 12-lead ECG takes precedence in this critical situation as it directly investigates potential cardiac issues. Prioritizing the ECG facilitates timely and appropriate management, ensuring the patient's safety and well-being.

Explanation:

The highest priority action when a postoperative patient in the ICU reports new chest pain is to obtain a 12-lead ECG. This diagnostic procedure allows immediate assessment of the heart's electrical activity, helping to identify any cardiac abnormalities or ischemia that could be causing the chest pain.

This action is crucial in promptly evaluating the patient's cardiac status and guiding subsequent interventions. Administering pain medication or notifying the surgeon can wait until the underlying cause of the chest pain is determined.

Assessing oxygen saturation is important but obtaining a 12-lead ECG takes precedence in this critical situation as it directly investigates potential cardiac issues. Prioritizing the ECG facilitates timely and appropriate management, ensuring the patient's safety and well-being.

Answer 2

When a postoperative ICU patient reports new chest pain, the highest priority actions are to assess their oxygen saturation, obtain a 12-lead ECG, notify the surgeon, and consider pain management after life-threatening causes have been addressed.

Step-by-step explanation:

A postoperative patient in the ICU reporting new chest pain requires immediate assessment and interventions to promptly address potential life-threatening complications. The actions that have the highest priority in this scenario involve a critical sequence of events. The first response should be to assess oxygen saturation to determine if the patient has adequate oxygenation, as hypoxemia can exacerbate or be a sign of cardiac distress. Following this, a 12-lead ECG should be obtained promptly to evaluate for potential cardiac ischemia or other arrhythmias. It is then crucial to notify the surgeon of the patient's condition to ensure immediate medical assessment and intervention. Lastly, based on the surgeon's or attending physician's assessment, administering pain medication can be considered, but only once life-threatening causes of chest pain have been ruled out or are being actively treated.

Patient safety checks, such as ensuring proper identification, known allergies, and prophylactic measures, play an important role in providing quality care preoperatively but may not directly influence the immediate response to a postoperative patient reporting new-onset chest pain. Nevertheless, understanding the patient's entire perioperative course, including these checks, can provide important context when assessing the patient's current situation.