Shock

Shock is a state of acute circulatory failure in which inadequate oxygen delivery to tissues leads to cellular dysfunction and, if untreated, multi-organ failure and death. It is not simply hypotension — shock is defined by tissue hypoperfusion, which can exist even when blood pressure appears normal in early compensated stages. Shock is classified into four main types based on the underlying mechanism: - Hypovolemic: inadequate intravascular volume (hemorrhage, burns, severe dehydration) - Distributive: maldistribution of blood flow despite normal or elevated volume (septic, anaphylactic, neurogenic) - Cardiogenic: pump failure (MI, cardiomyopathy, dysrhythmia) - Obstructive: mechanical obstruction to flow (cardiac tamponade, tension pneumothorax, massive PE) For the NCLEX-RN, the priority is to recognize the type, identify the stage (compensated vs decompensated), and implement the correct intervention for each type. On the exam, writers often pair stable-sounding options with unstable data—notice the mismatch before you commit. If the stem names a license or role, reread that line; scope errors are classic trap answers even when the clinical topic is familiar. Run a 60-second scan: breathing work and oxygenation, perfusion and end...