Question

A nurse is orienting a newly licensed nurse on the care of a client who is to have a line placed for hemodynamic monitoring. Which of the following statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates understanding?

A. "Air should be instilled into the monitoring system prior to the procedure."
B. "The client should be positioned on the left side during the procedure."
C. "The transducer should be level with the second intercostal space after the line is placed."
D. "A CXR is needed to verify placement after the procedure."

Answer 1

The correct understanding of the care of a client undergoing hemodynamic monitoring is that a CXR is required after the procedure to ensure proper catheter placement and rule out complications.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement by the newly licensed nurse that indicates an understanding of the care of a client who is to have a line placed for hemodynamic monitoring is: "A CXR is needed to verify placement after the procedure." This is the correct statement because after the placement of a central line or other invasive hemodynamic monitoring devices, a chest x-ray (CXR) is typically performed to confirm that the catheter is in the proper location and to check for any potential complications such as a pneumothorax.

As for the other options, air should never be deliberately instilled into the monitoring system as it can cause air embolism. The proper positioning of the client may vary but lying on the left side is not the standardized position for this procedure; instead, the patient is often placed in a supine position to ease access to the insertion site. The transducer for hemodynamic monitoring should not be leveled with the second intercostal space; instead, it should be zeroed at the level of the right atrium or the phlebostatic axis (approximately the fourth intercostal space at the midaxillary line on most adults) to ensure accurate measurements.