Which patient being cared for in the emergency department should the charge nurse evaluate first?
A) A patient with a complete spinal cord injury at the C5 dermatome level
B) A patient with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15 on 3-L nasal cannula
C) An alert patient with a subdural bleed who is complaining of a headache
D) An ischemic stroke patient with a blood pressure of 190/100 mm Hg

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A patient with a C5 complete spinal injury is at risk for ineffective breathing patterns and should be assessed immediately for any airway compromise.A GCS score of 15 indicates a neurologically intact patient.The patient with a subdural bleed is alert and not in danger of any immediate compromise.The goal for ischemic stroke is to keep the systolic BP less than 220 mm Hg and the diastolic blood pressure less than 120 mm Hg.

Which Patient Being Cared for in the Emergency Department Should