Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 86%
Full-length
The nurse is caring for a client with a head injury who has increased ICP. The physician plans to reduce the cerebral edema by constricting cerebral blood vessels. Which physician order would serve this purpose?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
Hyperventilation reduces PaCO2, causing cerebral vasoconstriction, which decreases cerebral blood flow and edema. The other options address pressure or fluid but not vasoconstriction.