The nurse is admitting a client to the emergency department with a history of an abdominal aortic aneurysm with severe back pain and absent pedal pulses. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
A)Obtain the blood pressure.
B)Ask the client about tobacco use.
C)Draw blood for ordered laboratory testing.
D)Assess for the presence of an abdominal bruit.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the client 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 also may be done, but they will not provide information that will determine what interventions are needed immediately for this client.

The Nurse Is Admitting a Client to the Emergency Department