Sudden breathlessness on the fourth post-operative day

A 66-year-old becomes acutely breathless walking to the bathroom after a hip replacement.

66-year-old womanOrthopaedic ward, bed 12Fictitious educational patient

OsteoarthritisObesityHormone replacement therapy

Day 4 · 10:40

The call

The nurse bleeps you: sudden breathlessness and pleuritic right-sided chest pain while mobilising. She is anxious and tachypnoeic. Four days after an elective total hip replacement.

Vitals

HR118BP104/68RR30SpO289%T37.5

What is the most useful next step at the bedside?

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