A male in his 30s has been brought to the emergency department by emergency medical services with an apparent heroin overdose. In the immediate care of this client, what assessments should the nurse prioritize?
A) Monitoring of fluid and electrolyte levels
B) Psychosocial assessment and identification of support systems
C) Musculoskeletal and integumentary assessments
D) Neurological and respiratory assessments
Ans: D
Opioids are powerless CNS depressants. As such, depression of the respiratory center takes place and can be fatal. The vigilant assessment of the client's neurological and respiratory status supersedes the importance of psychosocial, musculoskeletal, or integumentary assessments. Fluid and electrolytes would be monitored closely, but these are secondary to respiratory and neurological assessments.
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