Final answer:
To promote venous return in a patient with a pulse rate of 142 beats per minute and blood pressure of 70/30, the nurse should place the patient in a Trendelenburg position. This position uses gravity to aid in increasing blood flow to the heart. It's a temporary measure useful during acute hypotensive states to improve organ perfusion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to a clinical scenario where a patient exhibits a high pulse rate and significantly low blood pressure. To promote venous return, which is the return of blood to the heart, and improve blood flow within the veins, the nurse should place the patient in a Trendelenburg position. In this position, the body is laid flat on the back (supine position) with the feet higher than the head by 15–30 degrees, which helps increase the blood flow toward the vital organs, including the heart and brain, by gravitational force.
A patient arriving with a blood pressure of 70/45 and symptoms of confusion and thirst potentially indicates a state of shock or severe dehydration, both of which could lead to inadequate perfusion to tissues and organs. In such cases, the Trendelenburg position can be used temporarily to assist in increasing venous return until more definitive treatments can be administered. It is important to maintain vascular tone to prevent veins from distending, which dampens blood flow. Moreover, body position considerably impacts blood flow and blood pressure due to the effect of gravity and the resulting pressure gradients. Thus, the Trendelenburg position can help enhance venous return during acute situations of low blood pressure.