Patient Assessment and Monitoring in Dialysis Flashcards
7 cards from real CHT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Assessment and Monitoring in Dialysis flashcards as text
Which clinical presentation is most characteristic of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome?
Answer: Headache, nausea, confusion, and possible seizures
Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome causes neurological symptoms including headache, nausea, confusion, and seizures due to rapid solute removal creating osmotic gradients across the blood-brain barrier.
What is the normal oxygen saturation (SpO2) range for a healthy adult as measured by pulse oximetry?
Answer: 95–100%
Normal pulse oximetry SpO2 for a healthy adult is 95–100%; values below 95% may indicate hypoxemia and warrant clinical assessment.
During hemodialysis, a sudden drop in the venous pressure alarm most likely indicates which problem?
Answer: Needle dislodgment or disconnection in the venous return line
A sudden drop in venous pressure typically indicates needle dislodgment or a disconnection in the venous return line, which can cause rapid, life-threatening blood loss.
Before cannulating a patient's arteriovenous fistula, which assessment must ALWAYS be performed first?
Answer: Inspect and palpate the access site for thrill, bruit, redness, swelling, and pain
Pre-cannulation assessment requires inspecting for signs of infection (redness, swelling, drainage) and confirming patency by palpating for thrill and auscultating for bruit before inserting any needles.
A patient develops muscle cramps during hemodialysis. What is the most likely underlying cause?
Answer: Rapid or excessive fluid removal causing hypovolemia and reduced muscle perfusion
Muscle cramps during dialysis most commonly result from rapid or excessive ultrafiltration causing hypovolemia, impaired muscle perfusion, and electrolyte shifts.
A patient reports new-onset chest pain during hemodialysis. What is the technician's FIRST action?
Answer: Notify the nurse immediately while remaining with the patient and monitoring vital signs
Chest pain during dialysis is a potentially life-threatening symptom; the technician must immediately alert the nurse while staying at bedside to monitor the patient's condition.
A hemodialysis patient develops a fever (temperature >38°C) during treatment. What is the most likely cause?
Answer: Bacteremia or a pyrogenic reaction from contaminated water or inadequately reprocessed dialyzer
Fever during dialysis most commonly indicates bacteremia from access site infection or a pyrogenic reaction caused by endotoxins from contaminated dialysis water or improperly reprocessed dialyzers.