CCNS Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist

Answer - A - The patient that Angela should attend to first is a patient with distal femoral shaft fracture with petechiae on his chest and anterior axillary folds. The patient is at high risk or is already experiencing fat embolism. The data shows that the patient has petechiae, which is an adaptation that only occurs in fat embolism. At the time of fracture, fat globules may move from the bone marrow into the bloodstream; also, elevated cathecolamines cause mobilization of fatty acidsa and the development of fat globules. Fat embolism results to obstruction in vessels in the lungs, brain, and kidneys.