The registered nurse is prioritizing care for four assigned clients at the start of the shift. Which client requires the nurse's immediate assessment?
- A client with an acute asthma exacerbation who has become lethargic and exhibits significantly diminished breath sounds bilaterally.Cevap
- BA client with a suspected gastrointestinal hemorrhage who has a resting heart rate of 110 beats per minute and a blood pressure of 104/72 mmHg.
- CAn older adult client with advanced dementia who is wandering near the unit exit doors and repeatedly asking to go home.
- DA client who is 24 hours postoperative following an exploratory laparotomy and reports incisional pain rated as 8 on a 0 to 10 scale.
Cevap
The client with an acute asthma exacerbation who has become lethargic and exhibits significantly diminished breath sounds bilaterally.
The correct answer identifies a client in impending respiratory failure. In asthma, a shift from wheezing to diminished breath sounds (a 'silent chest') combined with lethargy indicates severe air trapping, hypercapnia, and exhaustion. According to the ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) prioritization framework, a threat to the airway or breathing is always the highest priority because it leads to rapid physiological collapse.
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Establishing Priorities using the ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) Framework