Who should a nurse see first during initial rounds if one client is experiencing weakness, headache, and sweating while on parenteral nutrition?

The priority in nursing assessments is to respond first to the client who may be experiencing complications related to their treatment. In this scenario, the client on parenteral nutrition (PN) who is exhibiting weakness, headache, and sweating could be experiencing signs of a serious condition, such as hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, both of which can occur due to issues with PN administration.

Reducing the PN solution rate to 25 mL/hr indicates a potential problem with the current infusion rate, which could be affecting the client's metabolic state. This client requires immediate evaluation and intervention because the symptoms they are experiencing could indicate an impending crisis related to their nutritional support, which is critical to their wellbeing.

While other clients may have their own needs (stable vital signs, discharge planning, or requests for pain medication), those scenarios lack the immediate threat that the client experiencing weakness, headache, and sweating presents. Therefore, attending to the client with the adjusted PN rate ensures timely assessment and management to avert complications that could arise from inadequate PN administration.