A Respiratory Therapist Is Questioning the Accuracy of the ABG

question 7

Multiple Choice

A respiratory therapist is questioning the accuracy of the ABG results obtained on a patient in the ICU. The results show a pH and PaO₂ that seem unreasonably high, while the PaCO₂ seems unreasonably low. Which of the following would most likely cause these erroneous results?

• A) A venous sample was obtained.
• B) There was excessive heparin in the blood gas syringe.
• C) The sample was excessively delayed in analysis.
• D) There was an air bubble in the sample.

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Definitions:

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

A comprehensive psychological assessment tool used to diagnose mental disorders and assess personality structure.

Negative Response Set

A tendency to respond to questions or situations in a consistently negative way, often influencing the outcome of psychological tests and assessments.

Non-Representative Sampling

A sampling method where the participants selected for a study do not accurately reflect the larger population being studied, leading to potential bias in results.

Double-Blind Procedure

A study or experiment design in which both the participants and the experimenters do not know who is receiving a particular treatment, to prevent bias.