Significance of Shock

Significance of Shock

Shock affects all body systems. It may develop rapidly or slowly, depending on the underlying cause. During shock, the body struggles to survive, calling on all its homeostatic mechanisms to restore blood flow and tissue perfusion. Any insult to the body can create a cascade of events resulting in poor tissue perfusion.Therefore, almost any patient with any disease state may be at risk for developing shock.

Nursing care of the patient with shock requires ongoing systematic assessment. Many of the interventions required in caring for the patient with shock call for close collaboration with other members of the health care team and a physician’s orders. The nurse must anticipate such orders because they need to be executed with speed and accuracy.