A nurse is assessing a client who is recovering from a cerebral angiography via the right femoral artery. Which assessment should the nurse complete?

• A. Check for pedal pulses
• B. Check lung sounds
• C. Check deep tendon reflexes
• D. Check urine output

Answer: (A)

Distal limb perfusion is the priority after accessing the femoral artery for a cerebral angiography. Checking the pedal pulses on the affected leg directly assesses blood flow to the foot and helps detect early signs of arterial occlusion or compromised perfusion from a hematoma or spasm. Palpable pulses indicate adequate perfusion, while absent or diminished pulses require prompt reporting and intervention per protocol.

Lung sounds, deep tendon reflexes, and urine output don’t directly reflect the status of the limb after femoral arterial access. Lung sounds relate to respiratory complications, reflexes to neurologic status, and urine output to renal function and contrast effects, none of which address the immediate concern of distal leg perfusion.