The nurse is caring for a patient with a pulmonary artery catheter. The nurse assesses the pressure monitoring system and would immediately correct which finding?

Choice A rationale The pressure bag must be maintained at 300 mmHg to ensure a continuous flush of approximately 3 mL per hour through the system. This high pressure is necessary to overcome the patient’s arterial or pulmonary artery pressure and keep the catheter patent. If the bag is only at 100 mmHg, blood may back up into the tubing, causing clots and inaccurate readings. The nurse must immediately increase the pressure to prevent equipment failure and maintain accuracy. Choice B rationale Normal saline is the standard and appropriate fluid used for the flush bag in a hemodynamic monitoring system. It is isotonic and compatible with the patient’s blood, making it the safest choice for maintaining the patency of the invasive line. Since this is a correct and expected finding, the nurse would not need to correct it. Using other fluids, like hypotonic solutions, would be incorrect and could lead to hemolysis or other physiological complications. Choice C rationale Zeroing the transducer is a mandatory step to ensure that the monitor ignores atmospheric pressure and only measures the patient’s internal pressures. A good waveform indicates that the system is properly placed and functioning without dampening or interference. This finding represents a correctly set up system that is providing reliable data for clinical decision-making. Therefore, no corrective action is required by the nurse for this specific part of the assessment. Choice D rationale Secure connections are vital in any invasive pressure monitoring system to prevent accidental exsanguination or the entry of air into the vascular system. Loose connections can also cause air bubbles, which lead to dampened waveforms and inaccurate pressure readings. Because the connections are noted to be secure, the system is safe and functioning as intended. This is an ideal finding that requires no intervention from the nursing staff to rectify.