Question

A nurse employed in an emergency department is assigned to assist with the triage of clients arriving to

the emergency department for treatment on the evening shift. The nurse would assign the highest priority
to which of the following clients?
1. A client complaining of muscle aches, a headache, and malaise
2. A client who twisted her ankle when she fell while rollerblading
3. A client with a minor laceration on the index finger sustained while cutting an eggplant
4. A client with chest pain who states that he just ate pizza that was made with a very spicy sauce

Answer 1

The nurse in the emergency department would prioritize the client with chest pain, as it may indicate a serious cardiac condition, over clients with non-life-threatening conditions such as muscle aches, a twisted ankle, or a minor laceration.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the emergency department, triage is a critical process where patients are prioritized based on the urgency of their medical conditions. Among the four clients listed, the nurse would assign the highest priority to the client with chest pain who states that he just ate pizza that was made with a very spicy sauce. While at first glance, the chest pain might seem related to indigestion, chest pain can also be indicative of more serious cardiac conditions, like a myocardial infarction (heart attack), and therefore warrants immediate medical evaluation to rule out life-threatening causes.

The other conditions, such as muscle aches, a headache, and malaise (Client 1), a twisted ankle (Client 2), or a minor laceration on the finger (Client 3), while requiring medical attention, do not present immediate life-threatening circumstances and can be seen after more urgent cases are addressed.