The nurse is triaging clients in the ED. Which client can wait to be seen by the ED staff?

• A. The 57-year-old client complaining of right-sided chest pain and diaphoresis.
• B. The 13-year-old client with a headache and a purple spotted rash.
• C. The 78-year-old client who became disoriented and has slurred speech.
• D. The 35-year-old client who has a possible fracture of the right tibia.

Answer: (D)

In ED triage, life-threatening conditions are prioritized first, based on urgency and potential for rapid deterioration. The client with chest pain and diaphoresis could be having an acute coronary syndrome, which requires immediate evaluation and intervention. The client who is disoriented with slurred speech may be experiencing a stroke or other acute neurologic event, and stroke protocols demand rapid assessment and imaging. The child with a headache and purple spotted rash could be facing meningococcemia or meningitis, a sepsis risk that needs prompt treatment and isolation measures.

The client with a possible fracture of the tibia, while painful, is hemodynamically stable and does not show airway, breathing, or circulation compromise or signs of systemic infection. This makes them less urgent than the others, so they can wait for care after those with potential life-threatening conditions are addressed.