A nurse is caring for a client who has chronic kidney failure. An assistive personnel reports that the client has a blood pressure of 190/110mm Hg. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

• emotional lability: The client’s sudden and intense shifts in mood, such as calling the nurse "horrible" and then later saying the nurse is "the best," are classic signs of emotional lability. This rapid mood instability is a hallmark feature of borderline personality disorder and reflects difficulties regulating emotions.
• increased heart rate: An increased heart rate is a physiological response often linked to anxiety, panic, or substance use but is not a defining characteristic of borderline personality disorder. It does not directly represent a core emotional or relational disturbance seen in this disorder.
• elevated body temperature: Elevated body temperature is a physical finding associated with infection, inflammation, or drug reactions. It is not a behavioral or psychological symptom related to borderline personality disorder.
• tactile hallucinations: Tactile hallucinations, such as feeling sensations that are not there, are associated with psychotic disorders or substance intoxication rather than borderline personality disorder. They are not characteristic features of this condition.
• fear of abandonment: Individuals with borderline personality disorder have a profound fear of abandonment, whether real or perceived. This fear often leads to intense emotional reactions and unstable interpersonal relationships, as seen in the client’s extreme reactions toward the nurse.

A. Take vital signs on clients as they are admitted: Taking vital signs is within the scope of practice for assistive personnel (AP) and is an essential task during a mass casualty event. It provides critical baseline information that the licensed staff can use to prioritize care and identify urgent needs.

B. Respond to family members about a client's condition: Communicating about a client's medical condition requires clinical judgment and is the responsibility of licensed nursing staff or healthcare providers. APs are not trained or authorized to give out clinical information to family members.

C. Clean and dress client abdominal wounds: Wound care, especially for open or surgical wounds like those on the abdomen, involves assessment and sterile technique, which must be performed by licensed personnel, not assistive personnel.

D. Determine which clients should be seen first: Determining client priority, also known as triage, requires nursing knowledge, critical thinking, and clinical assessment skills. It is a responsibility that falls to licensed nurses, not assistive personnel.