A patient with previous history of congestive heart failure presents to the clinic with complaints of dyspnea. What should the nurse do first?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The priority action performed by the nurse should be to record the blood pressure. A patient with history of congestive heart failure and dyspnea may have pulmonary oedema, which can cause severe hypertension. Therefore, measuring the patient's blood pressure should be the first action. Lying down flat on the examination table is likely to worsen the dyspnea, and the patient may become more distressed. Drawing blood for chemistry and arterial blood gas analysis is required, but need not be a priority action before measuring blood pressure.

A Patient with Previous History of Congestive Heart Failure Presents