Question

Your patient in the Emergency Department has a diagnosis of acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). He is acting euphoric, yet shy. The APN has prescribed the following care ___________. CAGE questionnaire, serum for toxicology, IV of D5 1/2 NS and 1 amp multivitamin (MVI) at 75 mL/h, neuro check q 1 h. What is your first priority?

1) Administer the CAGE questionnaire.
2) Start the IV.
3) Do the neuro check.
4) Obtain a serum blood sample.

Answer 1

In managing a patient with acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome, the first priority is to start the IV with D5 ½ NS and multivitamins to address fluid and nutritional needs. Blood tests and neurological checks will follow to monitor the patient's condition and guide further treatment.

Step-by-step explanation:

Your patient in the Emergency Department has a diagnosis of acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). The APN has prescribed the following care: CAGE questionnaire, serum for toxicology, IV of D5 ½ NS and 1 amp multivitamin (MVI) at 75 mL/h, neuro check q 1 h. Your first priority in this scenario would be to start the IV. Initiating an IV line with D5 ½ NS and MVI is critical to promptly address the patient's fluid and nutritional needs, which is essential in the management of AWS and potential complications such as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. It is also important for stabilizing the patient's condition before proceeding with further assessments such as the neuro check or obtaining blood samples. After the IV is initiated, obtaining a serum blood sample for toxicology would likely be the next step, as it will help in confirming the diagnosis and guiding additional treatment. Neurological checks are important for monitoring the patient's status and potential neurological changes, and while the CAGE questionnaire is useful for assessing the extent of alcohol dependency, it is not the immediate priority in acute care management.