What this means clinically
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is obstruction of pulmonary arterial flow—most often by thrombus from deep vein thrombosis—producing V/Q mismatch, hypoxemia, tachycardia, and sometimes right ventricular strain or hemodynamic collapse. NCLEX-RN tests whether you connect risk (immobility, surgery, estrogen, cancer, prior VTE) with priority actions: oxygen, monitoring, timely diagnostics, anticoagulation safety, and bleeding precautions. This lesson complements the deeper US RN pulmonary embolism article where present; here the focus is exam-style forks and nursing surveillance without independent prescriber decisions. Use DVT/PE priorities and fluid resuscitation judgment when instability appears. Clinical frame: Think risk + sudden change. PE can mimic ACS, anxiety, pneumonia, or pneumothorax—your stability assessment (work of breathing, perfusion, oxygenation) decides whether you are in versus pathways.