A Patient Is Concerned About the Arterial Line Waveform Pattern

question 34

Multiple Choice

A patient is concerned about the arterial line waveform pattern because there is a break in the downward slope of the pattern and "something must be wrong" because it is not a smooth line. What is the nurse's best response?

• A) "What you are seeing is called a dicrotic notch, and it means the beginning of the resting phase of your heart."
• B) "It is nothing for you to be concerned about. It is just a measurement of your blood pressure."
• C) "You are right. I will see if you are prescribed any medication for that problem."
• D) "You are seeing the strongest part of your heart muscle, which is the first number of a blood pressure reading."

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Definitions:

Social Control

involves mechanisms, strategies, and practices designed to regulate individual and group behavior, aiming to conform with the expected norms and values of society.

Mental Illness

A broad range of mental health conditions that affect mood, thinking, behavior, and interaction with others.

Dimensional Approach

A method of understanding or diagnosing mental health issues by assessing them along a continuum rather than through categorical means; it acknowledges the complexity and varying degrees of psychological traits.

Categorical Approach

A method of classifying mental disorders based on distinct categories of diagnoses, each defined by specific criteria, often used in systems like the DSM and ICD.