A Triage Nurse in a Busy Emergency Department Assesses a Patient

question 10

Multiple Choice

A triage nurse in a busy emergency department assesses a patient who complains of 6/10 abdominal pain and states, "I had a temperature of 104.6º F ( 40.3º C ) at home." The nurse's first action should be to

• A) assess the patient's current vital signs.
• B) obtain a clean-catch urine for urinalysis.
• C) tell the patient that it may be several hours before being seen by the doctor.
• D) ask the health care provider to order an analgesic medication for the patient.

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Definitions:

Stroke Volume

The amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle of the heart during each contraction.

Preload

Volume of blood in the ventricles at the end of diastole, immediately before ventricular contraction.

Intravenous (IV) Fluids

Liquids given through a vein to provide essential nutrients or medications directly into the bloodstream.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place.