A patient diagnosed with Bell's palsy has all of the following symptoms. Which symptom should the nurse attend to first?
a. Inability to close the affected eye
b. Drooping of one side of the face
c. Changes in taste
d. Speech difficulty
ANS: A
While all the problems will be disturbing to the patient, inability to close the eye could cause eye damage. The other problems do not usually cause permanent damage, and preventive measures will not be as helpful.
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