Question

A patient is anxious, dyspneic, and pale and uses accessory muscles to breathe. Vital signs are temperature 37°C (98.6°F), pulse 126 beats/min, respirations 40 breaths/min, and BP 122/74 mm Hg. The type of assessment that the nurse would perform is a(n)

A. emergent assessment.
B. general survey.
C. health history.
D. objective assessment.

Answer 1

An emergent assessment should be performed for the patient who is experiencing clinical distress and has abnormal vital signs, requiring immediate intervention.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient in the scenario is exhibiting signs of clinical distress with symptoms such as increased anxiety, dyspnea, pallor, and use of accessory muscles to breathe.

The vital signs are indicative of potential underlying problems: a pulse of 126 beats/min and respirations of 40 breaths/min are both higher than the normal ranges of 60-100 beats/min and 12-18 breaths/min respectively.

Given the acuteness of the symptoms and the deviations from normal vital sign parameters, the type of assessment that a nurse would perform in this scenario is a(n) emergent assessment. This type of assessment is critical as the patient may be in need of immediate intervention to stabilize their condition.