The nurse is caring for a patient who lost consciousness and collapsed. Which site will be used to determine if the patient has a pulse?

A. Ask the patient to rate the pain on a 0-to-10 scale. Pain is subjective, and the first step in pain management is assessment. Asking the patient to rate their pain helps determine the severity and whether adjustments to pain management are needed.
B. Call the physician or health care provider immediately. Contacting the provider may be necessary if the pain is uncontrolled, but the nurse must assess the pain level first before deciding if intervention is needed.
C. Check the patency of the patient's intravenous line. While an IV line is essential for PCA function, the priority is assessing the patient’s pain level before troubleshooting the equipment.
D. Speak to the patient in a calming tone to reduce anxiety. Although a calm demeanor is beneficial, it does not address the patient’s pain directly. Pain assessment is the first priority.

A. 40-year-old with a pulse of 88. A resting pulse of 88 beats per minute is within the normal adult range (60–100 bpm) and does not require further assessment.
B. 18-year-old with a pulse rate of 140 after riding 2 miles on an exercise bike. An increased heart rate after exercise is a normal physiological response, and the heart rate should return to baseline after rest. No further assessment is needed unless tachycardia persists.
C. 50-year-old man with a BP of 112/60 mmHg on awakening in the morning. This blood pressure is within a normal range, especially in the early morning when BP is often lower. No additional assessment is required.
D. 65-year-old with a respiratory rate of 10/min. A normal respiratory rate for an adult is 12–20 breaths per minute. A respiratory rate of 10 is lower than normal and may indicate respiratory depression, which could be caused by medications such as opioids, neurological issues, or other conditions requiring further evaluation.