........ carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body?

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2017

Explanation

Arteries are the blood vessels specifically responsible for carrying blood away from the heart to supply the rest of the body.
The largest artery, the aorta, branches out from the heart's left ventricle, beginning the systemic circulation of oxygenated blood.
A simple mnemonic to remember this is: 'A' for Artery and 'A' for Away (from the heart).
The walls of arteries are thick and muscular to withstand the high pressure of blood being pumped directly from the heart.

Option B: Veins carry blood towards the heart from the body's tissues, which is the opposite function of what the question asks.
Option C: Nerves are part of the nervous system. They transmit electrical and chemical signals (nerve impulses) for communication within the body; they do not transport blood.
Option D: This option is incorrect because arteries and veins have opposite functions regarding the direction of blood flow relative to the heart. Only arteries carry blood away from the heart.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Function of Arteries and Veins helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Understanding the difference between arteries and veins is fundamental for many nursing procedures. For instance, arterial blood is required for blood gas analysis (ABG), while venous blood is drawn for most routine lab tests.
A patient's pulse is palpated over an artery (e.g., radial, carotid) because the pressure wave from the heart's contraction is strong enough to be felt through the arterial wall. This pressure is much lower in veins.
What if a patient has peripheral arterial disease (PAD)? This condition involves the narrowing of arteries, which compromises blood flow away from the heart to the limbs. This can lead to symptoms like pain during walking (claudication), numbness, and non-healing ulcers in the legs and feet.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core action described in the question: 'carry blood from the heart'.
Recall the basic definitions of the primary blood vessels.
Use the mnemonic 'Artery = Away' to connect arteries with the action of carrying blood away from the heart.
Recall that veins do the opposite, bringing blood back to the heart.
Eliminate 'Nerves' as they belong to a different body system (nervous system) and do not transport blood.
Based on this, conclude that only 'Arteries' correctly fits the description, making the other options incorrect.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Vital Signs p. 74-76

E6 Physiology Essentials Sembulingam 10e Part 2 p. 164-166

E6 Anatomy Applied Ashalatha 4e p. 158-160

Practise the full NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2017

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.