Question

You have 4 patients who have high priority needs. One needs to go to surgery, one needs STAT lab draws from a PICC line, another has chest pain rated 8/10, and another needs toileting. Which patient should you tend to FIRST?

1) The patient who needs to go to surgery
2) The patient who needs STAT lab draws from a PICC line
3) The patient with chest pain rated 8/10
4) The patient who needs toileting

Answer 1

Tend to the patient with chest pain rated 8/10 first due to the possibility of a life-threatening condition. Then the patient going to surgery, followed by the patient who requires STAT lab draws from a PICC line, and finally the patient needing toileting.

Step-by-step explanation:

The prioritization of patient care depends on immediate health risks and potential for deterioration. In this scenario, you should attend to the patient with chest pain rated 8/10 first, as they might be experiencing an acute coronary event which is life-threatening and requires rapid intervention. The patient who needs to go to surgery would be next, as surgeries are often time-sensitive. Following this, the patient requiring STAT lab draws from a PICC line should be attended to, as this often indicates a critical need for lab results to guide treatment. Finally, while important for comfort and skin integrity, toileting is the least urgent of these tasks and should be attended to last in this case.

The surgeon, nurse, and anesthesia professional prioritize the recovery and care of patients by assessing key concerns such as the risk of complication, urgency of the procedure, and the severity of the patient's condition. Training and hospital protocols often guide these decisions to ensure that patients receive care in a manner that maximizes positive outcomes and minimizes risks.