An older patient with a history of an abdominal aortic aneurysm arrives at the emergency department (ED)with severe back pain and absent pedal pulses. Which action should the nurse take first?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Because the patient appears to be experiencing aortic dissection,the nurse's first action should be to determine the hemodynamic status by assessing blood pressure. The other actions may also be done,but they will not provide information to determine what interventions are needed immediately.

An Older Patient with a History of an Abdominal Aortic