A 27-year-old male patient who has been involved in a motor vehicle crash is admitted to the emergency department with cool, clammy skin, tachypnoea, tachycardia, and hypotension. All of these orders are written. Which one will the nurse act on first?

In the early stage of septic shock, the body initiates compensatory mechanisms to combat the infection and restore adequate tissue perfusion. Tachypnoea (rapid breathing) and tachycardia (elevated heart rate) are common early signs of septic shock.
Tachypnoea occurs as a response to increased metabolic demand and to compensate for impaired oxygenation and tissue perfusion. Tachycardia is the body's attempt to maintain cardiac output and compensate for decreased blood pressure.
B. Pallor and cool skin in (option B) is incorrect because Pallor and cool skin can occur in later stages of septic shock when perfusion to the peripheral tissues is compromised. However, they are not specific to the early stage.
C. Blood pressure 84/50 mm Hg in (option C) is incorrect because A blood pressure reading of 84/50 mm Hg indicates hypotension, which is typically seen in later stages of septic shock. In the early stage, blood pressure may still be within normal or slightly decreased range.
D. Respiratory acidosis in (optionD) is incorrect because: Respiratory acidosis refers to an imbalance in acid-base status and is not specific to the early stage of septic shock. Acid-base disturbances may occur at any stage of shock but are not indicative of the early stage.

Lactate is a by-product of anaerobic metabolism that accumulates when there is insufficient oxygen supply to meet cellular metabolic demands. In the context of severe tissue hypoxia, such as in septic shock, the body may resort to anaerobic metabolism, leading to increased lactate production and elevated lactate levels in the blood.
Elevated lactate levels, typically above 4.0 mmol/L, are indicative of tissue hypoxia and inadequate oxygenation at the cellular level. Higher lactate levels, such as 9.0 mmol/L, suggest more severe tissue hypoxia and increased anaerobic metabolism.
A. Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) 64 seconds in (option A) is incorrect because: PTT is a laboratory test that evaluates the intrinsic pathway of the coagulation cascade. While coagulation abnormalities may occur in septic shock, PTT alone does not specifically indicate severe tissue hypoxia.
C. Potassium 2.8 mEq/L (2.8 mmol/L) (option C) is incorrect because Low potassium levels (hypokalemia) can be a concern in septic shock, but it does not directly indicate severe tissue hypoxia.
D. PaCO2 58 mm Hg in (option D) is incorrect because: PaCO2 refers to the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood and is a measure of the respiratory status. While an elevated PaCO2 can be a sign of respiratory acidosis, it is not specific to severe tissue hypoxia.
Therefore, in a critically ill patient with septic shock, an elevated lactate level, such as 9.0 mmol/L, indicates severe tissue hypoxia and inadequate oxygenation at the cellular level