A patient who has chest pain is admitted to the emergency department ( ED ), and all the following diagnostic tests are ordered. Which one will the nurse arrange to be completed first?

Question

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The priority for the patient is to determine whether an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is occurring so that reperfusion therapy can begin as quickly as possible. ECG changes occur very rapidly after coronary artery occlusion. Troponin levels will increase after about 3 hours. Data from the CT scan and chest x-ray may impact the patient's care but are not helpful in determining whether the patient is experiencing a myocardial infarction (MI).

A Patient Who Has Chest Pain Is Admitted to the Emergency