Level: Foundational
Difficulty: Easy
Subtopic: Vital signs
NCLEX: A 76-year-old client in a long-term care facility is being evaluated for postoperative monitoring. Assessment dat…
Nursing fundamentals Basic Care and Comfort Safety and Infection Prevention and Control
Case Study
A 76-year-old client in a long-term care facility is being evaluated for postoperative monitoring. Assessment data include the client reports no sleep and increasing agitation overnight. Using ABCs and Maslow, which need should the nurse address first?
Question
A. Pain relief before checking airway and breathing.
B. Airway, breathing, and circulation problems before comfort or psychosocial needs.
C. Visitor concerns before physiologic stability.
D. Long-term teaching before treating acute physiologic risk.
B. Airway, breathing, and circulation problems before comfort or psychosocial needs.
C. Visitor concerns before physiologic stability.
D. Long-term teaching before treating acute physiologic risk.
Rationale
Correct answer: B. Airway, breathing, and circulation problems before comfort or psychosocial needs.
Rationale: Physiologic stability and ABCs take priority over comfort, teaching, or psychosocial needs when the client is unstable.
Hint: Apply ABCs, client stability, and NCSBN clinical judgment steps before choosing an intervention.
Rationale: Physiologic stability and ABCs take priority over comfort, teaching, or psychosocial needs when the client is unstable.
Hint: Apply ABCs, client stability, and NCSBN clinical judgment steps before choosing an intervention.