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Shock, Emergencies, and Disaster Care

Shock stages, emergency priorities, burns, trauma, triage, and disaster response for PN practice.

Topic Card

Shock - "Low flow, organs suffer"

Shock means the tissues are not getting enough oxygen-rich blood. The brain, heart, kidneys, and skin show clues early.

What the NCLEX Wants You to Know

  • Priority: recognize poor perfusion early and get help fast.
  • Common trap: waiting for very low blood pressure before acting.

Causes

  • Bleeding or fluid loss
  • Severe infection
  • Heart pump failure
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Spinal cord injury or severe vasodilation

Signs & Symptoms by Body System

  • Brain: restlessness, anxiety, confusion
  • Heart/skin: fast pulse, cool clammy skin, weak pulses
  • Kidneys: low urine output

Lab Value + Danger Zone

Watch lactate, WBC, Hgb/Hct, creatinine, urine output. Danger zone: falling BP, confusion, or very low urine output.

Nursing Actions - In Priority Order

  1. Stay with the client and call for help
  2. Assess ABCs and vital signs
  3. Position as ordered/tolerated
  4. Prepare oxygen, IV fluids, cultures, antibiotics, or emergency meds as ordered
  5. Track urine output and mental status

Patient Teaching

  • Report infection signs early.
  • Do not ignore dizziness, fainting, confusion, or very low urine.

Memory Trick

SHOCK = Skin cold, Heart fast, Output low, Confusion, Keep oxygen moving.

NCLEX-Style Challenge

A client with infection becomes confused, clammy, and tachycardic. What is the priority?

Answer: Recognize possible shock/sepsis, assess ABCs/vitals, stay with the client, and notify RN/provider rapidly.

Compare

How to compare this topic: Ask what is high vs low, expected vs dangerous, stable vs unstable, and PN task vs RN/provider task.

Shock - "Low flow, organs suffer"

Shock means the tissues are not getting enough oxygen-rich blood. The brain, heart, kidneys, and skin show clues early.

What the NCLEX Wants You to Know

  • Priority: recognize poor perfusion early and get help fast.
  • Common trap: waiting for very low blood pressure before acting.

Causes

  • Bleeding or fluid loss
  • Severe infection
  • Heart pump failure
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Spinal cord injury or severe vasodilation

Signs & Symptoms by Body System

  • Brain: restlessness, anxiety, confusion
  • Heart/skin: fast pulse, cool clammy skin, weak pulses
  • Kidneys: low urine output

Lab Value + Danger Zone

Watch lactate, WBC, Hgb/Hct, creatinine, urine output. Danger zone: falling BP, confusion, or very low urine output.

Nursing Actions - In Priority Order

  1. Stay with the client and call for help
  2. Assess ABCs and vital signs
  3. Position as ordered/tolerated
  4. Prepare oxygen, IV fluids, cultures, antibiotics, or emergency meds as ordered
  5. Track urine output and mental status

Patient Teaching

  • Report infection signs early.
  • Do not ignore dizziness, fainting, confusion, or very low urine.

Memory Trick

SHOCK = Skin cold, Heart fast, Output low, Confusion, Keep oxygen moving.

NCLEX-Style Challenge

A client with infection becomes confused, clammy, and tachycardic. What is the priority?

Answer: Recognize possible shock/sepsis, assess ABCs/vitals, stay with the client, and notify RN/provider rapidly.

Rapid Review

Find "What Do I Do First?" in Under 5 Seconds

  1. Stay with the client and call for help
  2. Assess ABCs and vital signs
  3. Position as ordered/tolerated

Memory Trick

SHOCK = Skin cold, Heart fast, Output low, Confusion, Keep oxygen moving.

Challenge Replay

A client with infection becomes confused, clammy, and tachycardic. What is the priority?

Answer: Recognize possible shock/sepsis, assess ABCs/vitals, stay with the client, and notify RN/provider rapidly.