Question

Anurse on a medicalsurgical unit is receiving change of shift report for four clientsWhich of the following dients should the nurse see first?

A)A client who has acute abdominal pain of 4 on scale from 0 to 10

B) A client who has a urinary tract infection and low grade lever

C) A client who new onset of dyspnea 24 hr hip arthroplasty

D) A client who has pneumonia and an oxygen saturacion o %

Answer 1

Without any doubt the nurse should see first the client who has pneumonia and an oxygen saturacion o %. Pneumonia is a condition when there is inflammation in the air sacs of the lungs due to infection. It becomes very difficult for the patient to breath because some fluid or pus fills in the air sacs of the patient. Medically, in such condition oxygen saturation levels of the patient should be well above 93%. In this case, that level has gone drastically lower which is a life threatening condition for the patient and urgent intervention is required.

For a patient with acute abdominal pain of 4 on scale from 0 to 10 is moderate and could not be considered very serious.  A client who has a urinary tract infection and low grade lever can be easily intervened through administering antibiotics. A client with new onset of dyspnea 24 hr hip arthroplasty is usual and could be critical at times but is not life threatening and can be intervened easily by the nurse.