During a central line dressing change, the client suddenly becomes short of breath with chest pain. The nurse suspects an air embolism. What should the nurse do first?

A. Clamp the catheter and place the client on the left side with the head lower than the feet
B. Raise the head of the bed to 90 degrees
C. Flush the line with saline
D. Remove the central line immediately

Show answer and rationale

Correct answer: A

Clamp the line to stop air entry and position the client left side down with the head lowered (if tolerated) to trap air in the right atrium. Give oxygen and notify the provider.

Source: INS. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice, 9th ed. (air embolism)

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This question is one of 113 Reduction of Risk Potential items in NCLEXSim. On the NCLEX-RN, this category makes up 9–15% of the exam.

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During a central line dressing change, the client suddenly becomes short of breath with chest pain. The nurse suspects an air embolism. What should the nurse do first?

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