The fire department has requested your assistance at a residence where the family's carbon monoxide (CO) detector has been going off. Of three patients, you first assess a 28-year-old female who states she has a sinus headache but otherwise feels fine. Her vital signs are: pulse 90, respirations 16, blood pressure 118/60 mmHg, and SpO₂ 100%. Given these assessment findings, you should immediately:

Question

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Administering high-concentration oxygen is the immediate intervention for suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. Even though the patient's vital signs are stable, carbon monoxide can cause delayed symptoms and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality if not treated promptly. It is also important to investigate and confirm the cause of the CO alarm before informing the patient that it has malfunctioned. Calling for advanced life support may be necessary depending on the severity of the patient's symptoms and response to initial treatment, but administering high-concentration oxygen should be done first. Rechecking the oxygen saturation on the patient's opposite hand is not necessary as the SpO₂ reading is sufficient and the symptoms suggest carbon monoxide poisoning rather than respiratory distress.

The Fire Department Has Requested Your Assistance at a Residence