A patient comes to the clinic complaining of frequent, watery stools for the last 2 days. Which action should the nurse take first?
a. Obtain the baseline weight.
b. Check the patient's blood pressure.
c. Draw blood for serum electrolyte levels.
d. Ask about any extremity numbness or tingling.
ANS: B
Because the patient's history suggests that fluid volume deficit may be a problem, assessment for adequate circulation is the highest priority. The other actions are also appropriate, but are not as essential as determining the patient's perfusion status.
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Which statement accurately describes endocrine glands?
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