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6.12: Case Study 5- Adolescent Client (continued)

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    1. After reviewing the vital sign record, identify the trends that you see.

    The trends include a significant decrease in blood pressure, increase in pulse, and decrease in pulse force over 90 minutes. There is an increase in respiratory rate and a decrease in oxygen saturation. The temperature is slightly elevated, which is a common finding post-surgery. The temperature remained stable over the 90-minute period.

    The changes in the above vital signs suggest hypovolemic shock, particularly in the context of recent abdominal surgery. Hypovolemic shock is a life-threatening condition that occurs with significant fluid loss such as blood. As part of diagnostic reasoning, healthcare providers recognize the indicators of hypovolemic shock as a decrease in blood pressure and an increase in pulse. The change in the respiratory rate is a compensating mechanism for blood loss and decreasing oxygen saturation: physiological factors stimulate increased respiratory rate to meet the oxygen demands of tissues as a result of decreasing blood pressure.

    2. What should the healthcare provider’s next actions be?

    This condition is a medical emergency that requires immediate intervention.

    • Notify the most responsible provider (if you are not the most responsible provider).
    • Anticipate fluid rehydration and continue to monitor the client closely.

    This page titled 6.12: Case Study 5- Adolescent Client (continued) is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lapum et al. (Ryerson University Library) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.