Practice Question
A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving propofol for an outpatient colonoscopy. Which of the following is a priority for the nurse to monitor?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Respiratory rate
Rationale:
🫁 Propofol is a powerful sedative-hypnotic that can cause significant respiratory depression and even apnea if given in excessive doses.
🫁 During an outpatient procedure like colonoscopy, the client is sedated but may not be intubated, so spontaneous breathing must be closely observed.
🫁 Monitoring the respiratory rate and depth is essential to detect early signs of hypoventilation or airway compromise.
🫁 If respirations become too slow or shallow, the nurse must be prepared to support the airway and notify the provider immediately.
🫁 Therefore, among the options, respiratory rate is the priority parameter to monitor during propofol sedation.
Blood pressure
🫁 Propofol can also cause hypotension, so blood pressure is certainly important, but airway and breathing come first in the ABCs.
🫁 A dropping blood pressure is serious, but respiratory arrest from oversedation occurs more quickly and can be fatal without prompt intervention.
🫁 In sedation monitoring, respiratory rate and airway patency are considered the most critical immediate concerns.
🫁 Blood pressure should be monitored regularly, but it is secondary to ensuring adequate ventilation.
🫁 Thus, while important, BP is not the single highest priority compared with respiratory rate in this context.
Temperature
🫁 Temperature does not typically change acutely due to a short-term sedative like propofol during an outpatient procedure.
🫁 Fever or hypothermia are not common immediate complications of a brief colonoscopy with sedation.
🫁 Other vital signs, especially respiratory rate and oxygen saturation, give more urgent information about sedation risk.
🫁 Temperature monitoring may be appropriate in longer procedures, but it is not the priority during short sedation events.
🫁 Therefore, temperature is not the correct priority parameter here.
Pain level
🫁 Managing pain is always important, but during procedural sedation, the chief concern is safety of airway and breathing.
🫁 Propofol is often used for sedation and comfort, and pain is usually addressed with other adjunct medications or local measures.
🫁 The immediate life threat is respiratory depression, not undertreated pain.
🫁 Pain can be assessed as the client awakens or during recovery, but it is not the primary safety-monitoring parameter during active sedation.
🫁 Thus, pain level, while important, is not the priority compared to respiratory rate.
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This question is from RN PHARMACOLOGY 2023 ✅ which contains 65 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: ATI Exam(s)
- Domain: RN ATI Pharmacology
- Answer Choices: 4