A female child, age 2, is brought to the emergency department after ingesting an unknown number of aspirin tablets about 30 minutes earlier. On entering the examination room, the child is crying and clinging to the mother. Which data should the nurse obtain first?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In this situation, the priority data the nurse should obtain first is the vital signs including heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure of the child. This information will help assess the child's current physiological status and potential effects of ingesting the aspirin. Aspirin overdose in children can lead to serious complications such as metabolic acidosis, respiratory distress, and cardiovascular instability. Monitoring the vital signs will provide crucial information to guide appropriate interventions and determine the severity of the child's condition. Height and weight (option D) are important for routine assessments but not the priority in this urgent situation. Recent exposure to communicable diseases (option B) and number of immunizations received (option C) are not relevant to the immediate management of the child's aspirin ingestion.