Final answer:
In managing acute alcohol intoxication, the nurse's priority should be to check the patient's blood glucose level, as hypoglycemia is an urgent condition that must be corrected promptly to avoid severe complications.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the emergency management of acute alcohol intoxication, the priority lab test is C. Glucose. The liver's ability to produce glucose via gluconeogenesis can fail in the event of heavy alcohol consumption, possibly leading to hypoglycemia, which is a critical condition to correct quickly. Hypoglycemia can be life-threatening and can worsen neurological impairment associated with intoxication.
While ethanol/alcohol levels are important to document the degree of intoxication, and hemoglobin may be relevant to overall patient status, they are not the immediate clinical priority in this context. Albumin might be relevant for overall liver function but is not typically affected acutely by alcohol intoxication.
Therefore, a nurse should prioritize checking the blood glucose level to treat any potential hypoglycemia promptly. This immediate intervention can prevent further complications and is paramount for the stabilization of the patient's condition.