An hour after admission to the nursery, the nurse observes a newborn baby having spontaneous jerky movements of the limbs. The infant\u2019s mother had gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy. Which of the following actions should the nurse take\u00a0FIRST?\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
1. Give dextrose water.
2. Call the physician immediately.
3. Determine the blood glucose level.
4. Observe closely for other symptoms.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>
As you read this question you are probably thinking, \u201cAll of these look right!\u201d or \u201cHow can I decide what I will do first?\u201d The panic sets in as you try to decide what the best answer is when they all seem \u201ccorrect.\u201d<\/p>\n
As a registered professional nurse, you will be caring for clients who have multiple problems and needs. You must be able to establish priorities by deciding which needs take precedence over the other needs. You probably recognized the baby\u2019s jerky movements as an indication of hypoglycemia. Don\u2019t forget that an important part of the assessment process is validating <\/i>what you observe. You must complete an assessment before you analyze, plan, and implement nursing care.<\/p>\n
The correct answer is (3).<\/p>\n
The critical thinking required for priority questions is for you to recognize patterns in the answer choices. By recognizing these patterns, you will know which path you need to choose to correctly answer the question.<\/p>\n