A young woman is brought into the ED after a motor vehicle accident. She is complaining of severe pain in her abdomen and left shoulder. Upon exam, you note ecchymosis around her navel. You should be most concerned about:

During a patient assessment, the nurse notes a large mass in the left upper abdominal quadrant, displacement of the stomach, and associated rib fractures in the left lower thorax. These signs are consistent with injury to the:

The patient’s BP suddenly drops to 88/60 mmHg and his pulse increases to 130 beats/minute. After administration of 500 mL of Lactated Ringer’s solution, the patient’s BP increases to 100/70 mmHg and his pulse rate decreases to 100 beats/minute. The nurse’s priority at this time would be to:

A patient is admitted to the ED after a high-speed, head-on automobile accident. He is conscious and alert; his skin is cool and dry. Vital signs are: BP 110/70 mmHg, pulse rate 100 beats/minute, and respirations 24 breaths/minute. The on-scene paramedic reports severe front-end damage to the car and a broken steering wheel. After assessing the patient’s airway, breathing, and circulation, the nurse’s primary concern would be to:

A 61-year-old man is transferred to the ED by ambulance from his physician’s office with a diagnosis of a possible abdominal aortic aneurysm. When eliciting the patient’s history, the nurse keeps in mind that one of the most common factors predisposing a patient to abdominal aortic aneurysm is:

Which type of solution would the nurse expect to infuse to restore circulatory dynamics in a patient with blunt abdominal injury?

During the assessment, the nurse notes a large mass in the left upper abdominal quadrant, displacement of the stomach, and associated rib fractures in the left lower thorax. The nurse identifies the patient’s primary nursing diagnosis as:

Which internal organ is typically injured in a patient with a blunt abdominal trauma?

Results of a diagnostic peritoneal lavage may be falsely negative in a patient with a:

Which statement regarding the spleen is false?