Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (NACE) PN-RN Practice Test

If a patient in an air-fluidized bed requires CPR, what should the nurse first do?

1. Turn off the bed's motor

2. Remove the patient from the bed

3. Position the patient on a backboard

4. Proceed with CPR

The correct answer is: Turn off the bed's motor

The correct action is to turn off the bed's motor before proceeding with CPR. This step is crucial because an air-fluidized bed uses a motor to circulate warm air and create a fluid-like environment for the patient. When administering CPR, it is essential to have a stable surface to perform chest compressions effectively. By turning off the motor, the nurse ensures that the bed will not shift or move during the resuscitation efforts, allowing for better control and effectiveness of the CPR process. Moving directly to remove the patient from the bed or placing them on a backboard may introduce unnecessary delays that could impede timely resuscitation efforts. Furthermore, proceeding with CPR immediately without turning off the bed could complicate the process, potentially causing instability or difficulty in achieving effective compressions.