Question

The ambulatory care nurse must prioritize 3 calls. one is a complaint of abdominal pain, 2nd a child with respiratory distress and 3 is a client complaining of vaginal bleeding. Which would be the priority

A. Vaginal bleeding
B. Abdominal Pain
C. Child w/ respiratory distress
D. Abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding should be attended first and second

Answer 1

The highest priority should be given to the child with respiratory distress due to the potential for immediate life-threatening consequences, making the answer Child w/ respiratory distress.

Step-by-step explanation:

When an ambulatory care nurse must prioritize calls, the patient's symptoms and potential for serious or life-threatening conditions are taken into account. In this scenario, the priority should be given to the child with respiratory distress because it can quickly turn critical, indicating a potentially life-threatening situation requiring immediate intervention. On the other hand, while abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding are concerning, they are less likely to represent an immediately life-threatening condition. Conditions like appendicitis, urinary tract infection (UTI), or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can be serious but typically require a more in-depth assessment and may not necessitate an immediate response like airway compromise does. Therefore, the correct prioritization would be C. Child w/ respiratory distress.