Adult Health Exam 1 Related

Review Adult Health Exam 1 related questions and content

A client reports feeling dizzy and light-headed when standing up. What is the nurse's best initial action?

  • A. Instruct the client to sit or lie down
  • B. Monitor blood pressure and pulse
  • C. Administer an anti-dizziness medication
  • D. Increase fluid intake
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Monitor blood pressure and pulse. When a client reports feeling dizzy and light-headed when standing up, the nurse's best initial action should be to monitor the client's blood pressure and pulse. These symptoms are indicative of orthostatic hypotension, which can be confirmed by changes in blood pressure and pulse when moving from lying to standing positions. Instructing the client to sit or lie down may provide temporary relief but does not address the underlying cause. Administering an anti-dizziness medication should not be the initial action without assessing vital signs first. Increasing fluid intake is important for overall health but is not the priority in this situation where vital sign monitoring is needed to assess for orthostatic hypotension.