The nurse is caring for a patient who reports feeling light-headed and "woozy." The nurse checks the patient's pulse and finds that it is irregular. The patient's blood pressure is 100/72. It was 113/80 an hour earlier. What should the nurse do?

A) Apply more pressure to the radial artery to feel pulse.
B) Perform an apical/radial pulse assessment.
C) Call the health care provider immediately.
D) Obtain arterial blood gases.

Apical/Radial Pulse

The measurement of the heart rate by palpating the apex of the heart and the radial artery, often used to check for pulse irregularities or monitor heart health.

Arterial Blood Gases

A test that measures the levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases in the blood, usually taken from an artery, to assess lung function.

Radial Artery

A major artery in the forearm, commonly accessed for arterial blood sampling or catheter insertion.