Question

The nurse is caring for a patient in the emergency room who was in a serious motor vehicle accident in which a child died. Which assessment question takes priority?

a. "How does this situation affect your life?"
b. "Have you thought about hurting yourself?"
c. "How do you see this event affecting your future?"
d. "Is there anyone, family or friends, you would like involved in your care?

Answer 1

The priority assessment question is "Have you thought about hurting yourself?" because it directly concerns the patient's immediate safety and risk of self-harm following a traumatic event. Rapid assessment, including this question, is essential for establishing mental and physical stability in emergency care.

Step-by-step explanation:

The assessment question that takes priority in the situation where a nurse is caring for a patient in the emergency room who was in a motor vehicle accident is: "Have you thought about hurting yourself?"

This question is crucial because it addresses the immediate safety and mental state of the patient, who may be experiencing emotional trauma and could be at risk of self-harm after such a distressing event.

Conducting a rapid assessment of this nature is part of a nurse's duties, alongside assessing other critical factors such as neurological function, which is important to determine the extent of any injuries, as a disruption to the nervous system could have life-altering consequences.

Moreover, the nurse's rapid assessment can help pinpoint the location of a CNS injury in the event of a trauma, as described in the case of a stroke.

This is essential not only for immediate treatment but also for establishing the groundwork for the patient's future care and management.

Immediate care priorities in emergency medicine are to ensure the patient's mental and physical stability before addressing other less urgent needs.