Assignment Task: The critical-care nurse is mentoring a new nurse on hemodynamic monitoring at the bedside of a critically ill patient. The patient has a right radial intra-arterial line, and a right subclavian pulmonary artery pressure monitoring system with a thermodilution catheter. The critical-care nurse demonstrates proper management of the invasive hemodynamic monitoring lines to the new nurse. The critical-care nurse encourages the new nurse to share what the new nurse understands in regard to invasive hemodynamic monitoring. The new nurse is currently taking critical care classes on hemodynamic monitoring.
a. What are the indications for the various hemodynamic monitoring methods (intra-arterial line) and the pulmonary artery pressure monitoring system?
b. What are the nursing responsibilities when caring for the patient with hemodynamic monitoring?
c. Of what potential complications should the nurse be aware when caring for the patient with hemodynamic monitoring?