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Study guide · Physiological Integrity

Reduction of Risk Potential

9 to 15% of the exam · 19 activity statements

Reduction of Risk Potential covers how the nurse lowers the chance that a client develops a complication from a condition, a test, a procedure or a treatment. NCLEX items test whether you notice a trend in vital signs, assessment findings or results, monitor correctly around procedures and sedation, collect specimens and manage tubes, lines and devices safely, and act **first** on the finding that threatens the client most.

A study feature written by ExamDragon, not part of the real exam. Each heading is one of the Related Activity Statements NCSBN lists for this category (19 of them), in our words; NCSBN's wording is in its Test Plan.

At a glance

Physiological Integrity
9 to 15%

of the exam (NCSBN's range)

Activity statements
19
Key terms
15

What this guide covers, statement by statement

  1. Assess and act on changes and patterns in vital signs
  2. Carry out focused assessments
  3. Spot patterns and changes in the client's condition and act on them
  4. Follow diagnostic test results and act on them
  5. Do tests within your scope, such as an ECG or bedside testing
  6. Assess how the client responds to treatments and procedures
  7. Teach the client before and after surgery
  8. Give care before surgery
  9. Manage the client during a procedure under moderate sedation
  10. Draw blood samples from the client
  11. Take precautions against injury or complications from a procedure or diagnosis
  12. Teach the client about treatments and procedures
  13. Collect non-blood samples for diagnostic tests
  14. Insert, care for or remove a nasogastric or orogastric tube
  15. Insert, care for or remove a urinary catheter
  16. Insert, care for or remove a peripheral IV
  17. Apply or maintain devices that help venous return, such as compression stockings
  18. Manage the client after a procedure under moderate sedation
  19. Look after a percutaneous feeding tube

1Assess and act on changes and patterns in vital signs

  • Typical adult ranges: heart rate 60 to 100/min, respiratory rate 12 to 20/min, SpO2 95 to 100% (lower targets for some clients with chronic lung disease, as prescribed), blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg, temperature about 97.8 to 99.1 F (36.5 to 37.3 C).
  • A trend matters more than one value: compare with the client's own baseline and with the last readings, and recheck a surprising value manually.
  • Early shock shows as a rising heart rate and respiratory rate and a narrowing pulse pressure; a falling blood pressure is a late sign.
  • Rising systolic pressure with a widening pulse pressure, slowing heart rate and irregular breathing (Cushing triad) suggests rising intracranial pressure and is an emergency.
  • Orthostatic hypotension: a drop of 20 mm Hg or more systolic or 10 mm Hg or more diastolic within 3 minutes of standing; protect the client from falling.
  • Report a significant change promptly with SBAR, and call the rapid response team when the client meets its criteria.
  1. In practiceA client 6 hours after abdominal surgery has a heart rate that rose from 84 to 118/min over 3 hours, respirations 24/min and blood pressure 108/74 mm Hg from 128/78 mm Hg. The nurse checks the dressing and drain output, assesses the client and reports the trend to the surgeon. A rising heart rate with a narrowing pulse pressure can be early bleeding even while the blood pressure still looks acceptable.
  2. Where questions turnWaiting for hypotension before acting, when tachycardia is the earlier sign of blood loss.
Practise this activity

2Carry out focused assessments

  • A focused assessment looks closely at the body system linked to the client's problem or complaint, after a quick check of airway, breathing and circulation.
  • Abdominal assessment order: inspect, auscultate, percuss, then palpate, so palpation does not change bowel sounds.
  • Neurological checks: level of consciousness first (it changes earliest), then the Glasgow Coma Scale, pupils, movement and strength.
  • Neurovascular checks of a limb: pain, pallor, pulse, paresthesia, paralysis and temperature, compared with the other side.
  • Respiratory checks: rate, depth, effort, use of accessory muscles, breath sounds in all lobes, SpO2 and skin color.
  • Document the findings and compare them with the last assessment to identify a change.
  1. In practiceA client with a new cast on the forearm reports pain that is worse than before and not relieved by the prescribed analgesic. The nurse does a neurovascular check and finds tingling fingers, slow capillary refill and pain on passive finger stretching. The nurse notifies the provider **immediately**, as these findings suggest compartment syndrome.
  2. Where questions turnPalpating the abdomen before auscultating, or treating increasing pain under a cast with more analgesic without a neurovascular check.
Practise this activity

3Spot patterns and changes in the client's condition and act on them

  • Restlessness, anxiety and new confusion can be the **first** signs of hypoxia or shock; assess oxygenation before giving a sedative.
  • Sepsis cues: fever or low temperature, rising heart and respiratory rates, new confusion, low blood pressure and falling urine output.
  • Urine output below about 0.5 mL/kg/h (roughly 30 mL/h in an adult) for more than a couple of hours signals poor kidney perfusion.
  • Use the facility's early warning score or rapid response criteria, and do not wait for the next scheduled check when you are worried.
  • After acting, reassess to see whether the change is improving, staying the same or worsening, and escalate when it is not improving.
  1. In practiceAn older client admitted with pneumonia was alert at 0800 and at 1100 is pulling at the IV line and does not know where they are, with an SpO2 of 88%. The nurse raises the head of the bed, applies oxygen as prescribed and notifies the provider. New confusion in this client points to hypoxia, not to dementia.
  2. Where questions turnAssuming new confusion in an older client is dementia or sundowning and giving a sedative before checking oxygenation.
Practise this activity

4Follow diagnostic test results and act on them

  • Typical adult reference ranges (vary by laboratory): sodium 135 to 145 mEq/L, potassium 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L, fasting glucose 70 to 99 mg/dL, BUN 10 to 20 mg/dL, creatinine 0.6 to 1.2 mg/dL.
  • Typical hematology ranges: hemoglobin about 12 to 16 g/dL (female) and 14 to 18 g/dL (male), WBC 5,000 to 10,000/mm3, platelets 150,000 to 400,000/mm3, INR 0.8 to 1.1 without anticoagulation.
  • Arterial blood gas ranges: pH 7.35 to 7.45, PaCO2 35 to 45 mm Hg, HCO3 22 to 26 mEq/L, PaO2 80 to 100 mm Hg.
  • A critical value is reported to the provider promptly, read back when received by phone, and documented with the time and the person notified.
  • Before a test with iodinated contrast, check allergies, kidney function and whether the client takes metformin, which is often held around the test per policy.
  • After a cardiac catheterization or angiogram, check the puncture site for bleeding or hematoma and the distal pulses, color and warmth, and keep the limb as prescribed.
  1. In practiceA client on a heparin infusion has a new platelet count of 72,000/mm3 (150,000 to 400,000/mm3), down from 210,000/mm3 at admission five days ago. The nurse notifies the prescriber promptly and assesses for bleeding and new clots. A drop of this size after several days of heparin suggests heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.
  2. Where questions turnReporting only values outside the range while missing a large drop that is still inside it, or a value that trends toward danger.
Practise this activity

5Do tests within your scope, such as an ECG or bedside testing

  • For a 12-lead ECG, place V1 in the fourth intercostal space right of the sternum, V2 at the same level left of the sternum, and V4 at the fifth intercostal space in the midclavicular line; ask the client to lie still.
  • For capillary glucose, follow the meter's instructions, run quality control checks as scheduled and use the side of the fingertip; act on a low value right away.
  • A normal fetal heart rate baseline is 110 to 160/min; moderate variability and accelerations are reassuring.
  • Late decelerations suggest reduced blood flow to the placenta: stop oxytocin if running, turn the client to the side, give an IV fluid bolus, follow the protocol for oxygen and notify the provider.
  • Variable decelerations suggest cord compression: change the client's position first; early decelerations mirror contractions and are expected.
  • Know which tests are within the RN's scope in the facility, and report the result, not just the fact that the test was done.
  1. In practiceDuring labor with an oxytocin infusion, the nurse sees decelerations that start after the peak of each contraction and return to baseline after it ends. The nurse stops the oxytocin, turns the client to the left side, increases the IV fluids and notifies the provider. These are late decelerations, and the first goal is to improve blood flow to the placenta.
  2. Where questions turnMistaking late decelerations for early ones, or increasing oxytocin when the fetal pattern is not reassuring.
Practise this activity

6Assess how the client responds to treatments and procedures

  • Know the expected result of each procedure and its most likely complication, and assess for both afterward.
  • After thoracentesis, watch for pneumothorax (sudden dyspnea, falling SpO2, decreased breath sounds on that side) and expect a chest x-ray.
  • After paracentesis, watch for low blood pressure and a fast heart rate from fluid shifts.
  • Chest tube: gentle fluctuation (tidaling) in the water seal chamber is expected; continuous bubbling there suggests an air leak; if the tube disconnects, put the end in sterile water.
  • After a liver biopsy, the client usually lies on the right side to apply pressure over the site; watch for bleeding.
  • Compare findings with the pre-procedure baseline to decide whether the client is improving.
  1. In practiceA client returns from a thoracentesis and 30 minutes later becomes short of breath, with an SpO2 of 89% and absent breath sounds on the side of the procedure. The nurse applies oxygen as prescribed, stays with the client and notifies the provider **immediately**. These findings suggest a pneumothorax.
  2. Where questions turnClamping a chest tube to transport the client or for an air leak, instead of following the prescription and checking the system.
Practise this activity

7Teach the client before and after surgery

  • Teach before surgery what the client will do after it: deep breathing, coughing with a pillow splinting the incision, turning and leg exercises.
  • Incentive spirometer: sit up, seal the lips around the mouthpiece, breathe in slowly and deeply, hold for a few seconds, then breathe out; commonly 10 times an hour while awake.
  • Explain the pain scale and the plan for pain relief, and that reporting pain early helps keep it controlled.
  • Explain the expected tubes, drains and lines the client may wake up with, and when they can eat, walk and go home.
  • Teach the warning signs to report after discharge: fever, increasing redness or drainage at the incision, calf pain or swelling, shortness of breath.
  • Check understanding with teach-back or a return demonstration.
  1. In practiceOn the first day after surgery, the nurse sees a client breathe out forcefully into the incentive spirometer. The nurse demonstrates a slow, deep breath in with a hold and watches the client repeat it correctly. The device works by inhaling, which opens the alveoli and prevents atelectasis.
  2. Where questions turnTeaching the client to blow into the incentive spirometer, or teaching breathing exercises only after surgery when pain makes learning harder.
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8Give care before surgery

  • Informed consent: the provider doing the procedure explains it, its risks, benefits and alternatives; the nurse witnesses the signature and checks that the client understands and agrees.
  • If the client has questions or seems unsure, do not proceed: notify the provider; consent is signed before any sedating medication.
  • Confirm fasting as instructed by anesthesia, allergies, the last dose of anticoagulants and diabetes medications, and any relevant labs.
  • Complete the preoperative checklist: identification band, site marked by the surgeon where required, jewelry and removable dentures or prostheses removed per policy, and the client has voided.
  • Give prescribed preoperative medications on time, then keep the client safe (side rails, call light) once sedated.
  • A time out with the team before the incision confirms the client, procedure and site.
  1. In practiceA client who signed a surgical consent an hour ago tells the nurse, "I'm still not sure what they will remove." The nurse holds the preoperative sedative and notifies the surgeon to explain the procedure again. Consent is valid only if the client understands it, and explaining the procedure is the surgeon's role.
  2. Where questions turnHaving the nurse explain surgical risks to obtain consent, or giving a sedative before the consent is signed.
Practise this activity

9Manage the client during a procedure under moderate sedation

  • Under moderate sedation the client breathes without help and responds purposefully to voice or light touch; it can deepen unexpectedly.
  • Before starting, check consent, fasting, allergies, baseline vital signs and level of consciousness, a patent IV line, and that suction, oxygen and emergency equipment work.
  • The nurse monitoring sedation has no other task that would leave the client unwatched during the procedure.
  • Monitor continuously: SpO2, heart rhythm, blood pressure at set intervals, respiratory rate and effort, level of consciousness, and end-tidal carbon dioxide where used.
  • Keep reversal agents at hand: naloxone for opioids such as fentanyl, flumazenil for benzodiazepines such as midazolam.
  • If the client stops responding or breathing slows, stimulate the client, open the airway, give oxygen and alert the provider; give a reversal agent as prescribed.
  1. In practiceDuring a colonoscopy under midazolam and fentanyl, the nurse sees the SpO2 fall from 97% to 89% and the client does not respond to their name. The nurse tells the provider, uses a jaw thrust to open the airway, increases oxygen and prepares naloxone and flumazenil. Airway and breathing come before the procedure continues.
  2. Where questions turnAssigning the monitoring nurse a second task during the procedure, or waiting for a low SpO2 instead of acting on decreased responsiveness.
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10Draw blood samples from the client

  • Identify the client with two identifiers before the draw, and label the tubes at the bedside in the client's presence, never ahead of time.
  • Leave the tourniquet on no longer than about 1 minute; longer can change results such as potassium.
  • Do not draw from the arm with an IV infusion running above the site, an arteriovenous fistula or graft, or on the side of a mastectomy with lymph node removal.
  • Blood cultures: draw before the first dose of antibiotics, usually two sets from two different sites, after cleaning the skin with antiseptic and letting it dry.
  • Follow the order of draw (blood cultures first) and time drug levels correctly: a trough just before the next dose.
  • Apply pressure after the draw, longer for a client on anticoagulants, and send specimens promptly.
  1. In practiceA client with suspected sepsis has an IV antibiotic due now and blood cultures prescribed. The nurse draws two sets of blood cultures from two sites first and then starts the antibiotic without delay. Cultures drawn after antibiotics may not grow the organism.
  2. Where questions turnStarting the antibiotic before drawing blood cultures, or drawing blood above a running IV infusion.
Practise this activity

11Take precautions against injury or complications from a procedure or diagnosis

  • Fall precautions: bed low and locked, call light in reach, nonslip footwear, scheduled toileting and a bed alarm when needed.
  • Seizure precautions: suction and oxygen at the bedside, padded side rails per policy; during a seizure turn the client to the side and never put anything in the mouth.
  • Bleeding precautions for low platelets or anticoagulation: soft toothbrush, electric razor, no intramuscular injections when avoidable, and pressure after needle sticks.
  • Aspiration precautions: head of the bed at least 30 degrees, upright for meals, and a swallow screen before oral intake after a stroke.
  • After a posterior hip replacement: no hip flexion beyond 90 degrees, no crossing the legs, no turning the leg inward; use an abduction pillow as prescribed.
  • Neutropenic precautions for a low WBC: hand hygiene, no visitors who are ill, and fever reported at once.
  1. In practiceA client the day after a posterior approach hip replacement wants to sit in a low armchair and cross the legs. The nurse helps the client into a raised chair with the hips higher than the knees and explains why crossing the legs can dislocate the hip. Hip precautions keep the joint from flexing past 90 degrees or turning inward.
  2. Where questions turnPutting a padded tongue blade or anything else into the mouth during a seizure, or letting a client after posterior hip surgery sit in a low chair.
Practise this activity

12Teach the client about treatments and procedures

  • Explain what will happen, why, how long it will take, what the client will feel, and what to do before and after.
  • Bowel preparation for a colonoscopy: clear liquids and the full prescribed preparation as instructed, so the bowel is clean enough to see.
  • Before an MRI: screen for metal, implanted devices and pacemakers, remove metal objects, and tell the client about the noise and the need to lie still.
  • Home oxygen: no smoking or open flames nearby, keep the tank upright and secured, and avoid petroleum products on the face.
  • Respect the client's right to refuse a treatment after it is explained, and report the refusal to the provider.
  • Confirm learning with teach-back, and give written instructions in the client's language.
  1. In practiceA client scheduled for an MRI mentions a pacemaker placed 5 years ago. The nurse notifies the provider and the imaging department before the test, since some devices are not safe in the scanner. Screening for implanted devices is a core part of MRI preparation.
  2. Where questions turnSending a client to MRI without screening for implanted devices or metal.
Practise this activity

13Collect non-blood samples for diagnostic tests

  • Clean-catch midstream urine: clean the area front to back, begin voiding into the toilet, then collect the middle of the stream in the sterile cup.
  • From an indwelling catheter: clean the sampling port and draw urine with a sterile syringe; never take a sample from the drainage bag.
  • 24-hour urine: discard the first void and note the time, collect all urine for 24 hours, including a final void at the end, and keep it cold or as the lab directs; if urine is discarded, restart the collection.
  • Sputum: collect early in the morning, rinse the mouth with water (not mouthwash), and cough deeply from the lungs rather than spitting saliva.
  • Wound culture: clean the wound with sterile saline first, then swab clean viable tissue, not old drainage.
  • Label every specimen at the bedside, send it promptly, and collect cultures before antibiotics when possible.
  1. In practiceMidway through a 24-hour urine collection, a client's son tells the nurse that the client voided into the toilet and flushed it. The nurse discards the collection, tells the lab and starts a new 24-hour collection with the start time recorded. A missed void makes the whole result inaccurate.
  2. Where questions turnTaking a urine specimen from the drainage bag, or continuing a 24-hour collection after urine was discarded.
Practise this activity

14Insert, care for or remove a nasogastric or orogastric tube

  • Measure the tube from the tip of the nose to the earlobe to the xiphoid process, mark it, place the client in high Fowler's position, and have the client tilt the chin down and swallow as it advances.
  • Confirm placement with an x-ray before the first feeding or medication; afterward check the external length mark and the pH of aspirate (gastric commonly 5 or below) per policy.
  • Listening for an air bolus is not a reliable way to confirm placement.
  • A double-lumen sump tube connects to low intermittent suction; keep the blue vent above the stomach and never clamp it.
  • Prolonged suction removes gastric acid and electrolytes: watch for metabolic alkalosis and low potassium.
  • To remove, flush or clear the tube as policy directs, ask the client to take a breath and hold it, then withdraw the tube smoothly in one motion.
  1. In practiceDuring insertion of a nasogastric tube, the client starts coughing, cannot speak and the SpO2 falls. The nurse stops and withdraws the tube, lets the client rest and tries again with the chin tilted down. Coughing and inability to speak suggest the tube has entered the airway.
  2. Where questions turnRelying on the sound of an air bolus to confirm tube placement instead of an x-ray and pH checks.
Practise this activity

15Insert, care for or remove a urinary catheter

  • Insert a urinary catheter only when there is a clear indication, use sterile technique, and remove it as soon as it is no longer needed (nurse-driven removal protocols help).
  • Keep the system closed, the bag below the level of the bladder and off the floor, and the tubing free of kinks and dependent loops.
  • Secure the catheter to the thigh to prevent pulling, and give daily perineal care with soap and water.
  • Inflate the balloon only after urine flows; if the client feels pain during inflation, deflate it and advance the catheter further.
  • If the catheter enters the vagina in a female client, leave it there as a landmark and insert a new sterile catheter.
  • After removal, the client should void within about 6 to 8 hours; use a bladder scanner and notify the provider if the client cannot.
  1. In practiceA client has had an indwelling catheter for 4 days after hip surgery and now walks to the bathroom with help. The nurse reviews the removal criteria with the provider and removes the catheter, then tracks the first void. Every catheter day adds to the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infection.
  2. Where questions turnPlacing the drainage bag on the bed or the floor, or leaving a catheter in for convenience.
Practise this activity

16Insert, care for or remove a peripheral IV

  • Choose a vein in the forearm, starting distally on the nondominant arm; avoid areas of flexion, veins in the legs in adults, and arms with a fistula or on the side of lymph node removal.
  • Apply the tourniquet above the site, clean with antiseptic and let it dry, insert with the bevel up at a low angle, and look for flashback.
  • Limit attempts per policy (often no more than two by one nurse) before asking a more experienced colleague.
  • Flush with 0.9% sodium chloride before and after medications and as policy directs to keep the catheter patent, and secure and label the dressing.
  • Assess the site often and remove the catheter when it is no longer needed or when there is a complication, not on a routine schedule alone.
  • On removal, apply pressure until bleeding stops (longer for a client on anticoagulants) and check that the catheter tip is intact.
  1. In practiceA nurse fails twice to start an IV in a dehydrated older client. The nurse asks an experienced colleague to try rather than making a third attempt. Repeated attempts damage veins and add pain and infection risk.
  2. Where questions turnStarting an IV in an arm with an arteriovenous fistula or on the side of a mastectomy with lymph node removal.
Practise this activity

17Apply or maintain devices that help venous return, such as compression stockings

  • Measure the legs to choose the correct size of antiembolism stockings, and apply them while the legs are least swollen, ideally before the client gets up.
  • Keep stockings smooth with no wrinkles or rolled tops, which act like a tourniquet; remove them at least daily to inspect and care for the skin.
  • Sequential compression sleeves should fit snugly with room for about two fingers, be connected and running whenever the client is in bed, and be checked for skin pressure.
  • Do not apply compression devices to a leg with a suspected or known deep vein thrombosis; report calf pain, warmth, swelling or redness instead.
  • Use caution or avoid compression with severe peripheral arterial disease, leg ulcers, recent skin grafts or dermatitis, and check pedal pulses and capillary refill.
  • Devices support, but do not replace, early walking, leg exercises and prescribed anticoagulants.
  1. In practiceBefore applying sequential compression sleeves to a postoperative client, the nurse finds the left calf swollen, warm and tender. The nurse does not apply the sleeves and reports the findings to the provider. Compression could dislodge a clot and cause a pulmonary embolism.
  2. Where questions turnApplying compression to a leg with signs of deep vein thrombosis, or letting stockings roll down into a tight band.
Practise this activity

18Manage the client after a procedure under moderate sedation

  • Monitor vital signs, SpO2 and level of consciousness at the intervals policy sets until the client returns to baseline, often using a recovery score.
  • Keep the client on side rails and fall precautions; sedation and dizziness can last longer than expected.
  • After an endoscopy with a numbed throat, check that the gag reflex has returned before giving any food or fluid.
  • Watch for resedation if a reversal agent was given, because naloxone and flumazenil can wear off before the sedative.
  • Discharge only to a responsible adult who will drive the client home; teach no driving, alcohol or important decisions for the time set (commonly 24 hours), and give written instructions.
  1. In practiceAfter an upper endoscopy with moderate sedation and a throat spray, a client asks for water. The nurse checks the gag reflex and finds it still absent, so the nurse explains the wait and rechecks later. Drinking before the gag reflex returns risks aspiration.
  2. Where questions turnGiving fluids before the gag reflex returns, or letting a sedated client leave alone or drive home.
Practise this activity

19Look after a percutaneous feeding tube

  • Check the external length mark at the skin before each use and each shift; a change suggests the tube has moved.
  • Keep the head of the bed at least 30 degrees during feeding and for a time after (at all times with continuous feeding) to reduce aspiration.
  • Flush with water before and after each medication and at the intervals policy sets (commonly 30 mL); give medications one at a time, in liquid form where possible, never crushing extended-release forms.
  • Clean the site daily with soap and water, keep it dry, and look for redness, leakage or skin breakdown.
  • A newly placed tube that comes out before the tract has healed is urgent: cover the site and notify the provider **immediately**, as leakage into the abdomen can cause peritonitis.
  • For a clogged tube, flush with warm water using gentle push and pull; do not force a stylet into it.
  1. In practiceTwo days after a gastrostomy tube is placed, the nurse finds it lying on the bed with the site open. The nurse covers the site with sterile gauze and notifies the provider **immediately** without trying to reinsert it. The tract is not mature, and replacing the tube blindly could place it in the abdominal cavity.
  2. Where questions turnReinserting a dislodged new gastrostomy tube at the bedside, or feeding a client lying flat.
Practise this activity

Key terms

Trend
The direction of change across several readings, compared with the client's baseline.
Pulse pressure
Systolic minus diastolic pressure; narrows in early shock and widens with rising intracranial pressure.
Cushing triad
Rising systolic pressure with widened pulse pressure, bradycardia and irregular respirations, signs of increased intracranial pressure.
Critical value
A result far enough outside the reference range to need prompt reporting to the provider.
Late deceleration
A fetal heart rate drop that starts after the peak of a contraction, linked to reduced placental blood flow.
Informed consent
Agreement to a procedure after the provider explains its risks, benefits and alternatives; the nurse witnesses the signature.
Moderate sedation
Drug-induced depressed consciousness in which the client breathes unaided and responds purposefully to voice or touch.
Time out
A pause by the whole team right before a procedure to confirm the client, procedure and site.
Incentive spirometer
A device that encourages slow, deep inhalation to keep the alveoli open after surgery.
Clean-catch specimen
A midstream urine sample collected after cleaning, to reduce contamination.
CAUTI
Catheter-associated urinary tract infection, prevented mainly by avoiding and promptly removing indwelling catheters.
Tidaling
The expected rise and fall of water in a chest tube's water seal chamber with breathing.
Compartment syndrome
Rising pressure inside a muscle compartment that cuts off blood flow, with pain out of proportion and pain on passive stretch.
Sequential compression device
Leg sleeves that inflate in turn to push venous blood upward and prevent clots.
Gastrostomy tube
A feeding tube placed through the abdominal wall into the stomach, often endoscopically.

After this guide: After this guide you should be able to recognize dangerous trends in vital signs, assessments and results with their reference ranges, care for a client before, during and after procedures and moderate sedation, collect specimens correctly, and manage tubes, catheters, IV lines and compression devices so that complications are prevented or caught early.

Practise Reduction of Risk Potential