The nurse assistant reports vital signs on 4 clients. Which client should be a priority for the nurse to assess?

Question

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The liver is a highly vascular organ and bleeding is a major complication. Tachycardia is an early sign of internal hemorrhage. The 65-year-old client should be assessed first. (Option A) Tachycardia can be caused by underlying infection and can resolve with treatment of the infection. Valve infections can require several weeks of antibiotics. This client is not the priority. (Option B) Pancreatitis is a very painful condition and sinus tachycardia is expected. These clients are also at risk of developing complications such as third spacing of volume and require large quantities of IV fluids. This client is the second priority. (Option D) Atrial fibrillation is commonly treated with calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem. The dosage needs to be adjusted to achieve a goal heart rate of <100/min. Atrial fibrillation is usually not immediately life-threatening. Educational objective: Liver biopsy can cause internal bleeding. Clients with internal bleeding require priority assessment.

The Nurse Assistant Reports Vital Signs on 4 Clients