Question

A 16-year-old client was admitted to the medical unit 1 hour ago for sickle cell crisis. Vital signs are as follows: temperature, 98.24°F (36.8°C) sublingual; heart rate, 95 beats/min; respiratory rate, 20 breaths/min; blood pressure, 130/65 mm Hg. The client rates pain as a 9/10. The nurse is talking with the medical resident on service to discuss client orders. Which order is the nurse likely to request first for the client?

Answer 1

The nurse is likely to request an order for pain management, typically with opioids, for the 16-year-old patient in a sickle cell crisis, as managing severe pain is the immediate need in the patient's care plan. The patient's vital signs are relatively stable.

Step-by-step explanation:

A 16-year-old patient experiencing a sickle cell crisis is highly likely to be in severe pain, as indicated by the patient's pain rating of 9/10. In this medical scenario, the nurse would prioritize pain management as the immediate need in the client's care plan. Since vital signs are somewhat stable with temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure not showing critical abnormalities, administering pain relief would likely be the most urgent order the nurse would request from the medical resident. Analgesic medication, typically opioids for severe sickle cell pain, would be administered to manage the intense pain associated with a sickle cell crisis. It is essential that the pain is controlled efficiently to prevent further complications and improve the patient's overall wellbeing.