The Assessment Lab
The term for the "crackling" or "Rice Krispies" sensation felt under the skin.
What is subcutaneous emphysema?
The specific PPE required for a nurse entering the room of a patient with suspected TB.
What is an N95 respirator/HEPA mask?
This TB medication can turn urine, sweat, and tears a reddish-orange color.
What is Rifampin?
The expected "rising and falling" of water in the water-seal chamber during respiration.
What is tidaling?
This position involves leaning forward over a bedside table to ease the work of breathing.
What is the Orthopneic or Tripod position?
This late sign of chronic hypoxia manifests as a softening of the nail bed and widening of the fingertips.
What is clubbing?
The type of room needed for TB patients to prevent air from flowing into the hallway.
What is a negative-pressure room?
This medication is often the first "rescue" inhaler given during an acute asthma attack.
What is Albuterol?
Continuous bubbling in the water-seal chamber indicates this complication.
What is an air leak?
Often the very first sign of hypoxia in an elderly patient.
What is restlessness, agitation, or confusion?
This diagnostic test requires the nurse to check for a return of the gag reflex before the patient eats.
What is a bronchoscopy?
This "triad" of symptoms includes night sweats, low-grade afternoon fever, and hemoptysis.
What are the symptoms of active TB?
Patients taking Isoniazid (INH) often take this vitamin supplement to prevent peripheral neuropathy.
What is Vitamin B6/Pyridoxine?
The first thing you should do if a chest tube is accidentally pulled out of the patient's chest.
What is apply an occlusive/Vaseline gauze dressing taped on 3 sides?
This device is used to help patients expand their lungs and prevent atelectasis after surgery.
What is an incentive spirometer?
A pH of 7.30 and a PaCO2 of 52 indicate this acid-base imbalance.
What is Respiratory Acidosis?
The precaution level used for a patient with Influenza or Streptococcal Pneumonia.
What are Droplet Precautions?
This TB drug requires a baseline and monthly vision/color-blindness screening.
What is Ethambutol?
This liquid should be kept at the bedside to submerge a disconnected tube in an emergency.
What is sterile water?
The maximum number of seconds a nurse should apply suction to a tracheostomy.
What is 10 to 15 seconds?
The percussion note usually heard over lungs that are hyperinflated, such as in Emphysema.
What is hyperresonance?
What are Droplet Precautions?
What is three?
The public health strategy where a nurse physically watches the patient swallow their TB pills.
What is DOT - Directly Observed Therapy?
The nurse notes 150 mL of bright red drainage in the collection chamber over the last hour. This is the priority action.
What is notify the RN/Provider immediately?
This emergency condition is characterized by a "flap" of chest wall moving inward during inspiration and outward during expiration.
What is Flail Chest?