ATI Capstone Adult Medical Surgical Assessment 2 Related

Review ATI Capstone Adult Medical Surgical Assessment 2 related questions and content

A patient is admitted with chest pain, possible acute coronary syndrome. What should the nurse do first?

  • A. Administer sublingual nitroglycerin
  • B. Get IV access
  • C. Obtain cardiac enzymes
  • D. Auscultate heart sounds
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In a patient with chest pain, possible acute coronary syndrome, the nurse should administer sublingual nitroglycerin first. Nitroglycerin helps to vasodilate coronary arteries, improving blood flow to the heart, and reducing cardiac workload. This can alleviate chest pain and decrease cardiac tissue damage in acute coronary syndrome. Getting IV access, obtaining cardiac enzymes, and auscultating heart sounds are important steps in the assessment and management of acute coronary syndrome, but administering nitroglycerin to relieve chest pain and improve blood flow takes precedence as it directly addresses the patient's symptoms and aims to prevent further cardiac damage.