A 70-year-old female patient with left-sided hemiparesis arrives by ambulance to the emergency department. Which action should the nurse take first?

The client is most likely experiencing meningitis based on the following clinical manifestations:

1. Symptoms: The client presents with a 2-day history of lethargy, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, headache, general muscle aches, diarrhea, abdominal pain, sore throat, sensitivity to light, and intermittent nystagmus. These symptoms are consistent with the classic signs of meningitis, including headache, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, and altered mental status.
2. Physical Examination Findings: The physical examination reveals a fever (temperature of 38.9°C or 102°F), elevated heart rate (118/min), and signs of meningeal irritation such as neck stiffness (not directly mentioned but implied by headache and sensitivity to light). Additionally, a pinpoint, red, macular rash on the upper chest may indicate petechiae, which can be seen in meningococcal meningitis.

Given the suspicion of meningitis, the nurse should take the following actions:

1. Implement seizure precautions: Meningitis can lead to increased intracranial pressure and neurological complications, including seizures. Implementing seizure precautions involves ensuring the client's safety by padding the side rails of the bed, keeping the bed in a low position, and providing close observation.
2. Dim the lights in the client’s room: The client reports sensitivity to light, which is a common symptom of meningitis due to meningeal irritation. Dimming the lights can help reduce discomfort and photophobia in the client.

Parameters to Monitor:

1. Neurologic status: Monitoring the client's neurologic status is crucial for assessing the progression of meningitis and detecting any neurological deterioration, such as changes in level of consciousness, motor deficits, or signs of increased intracranial pressure.

2. Temperature: Monitoring the client's temperature is essential to assess for fever spikes or trends, which can indicate the severity of the infection and response to treatment.

Persistent or worsening fever may suggest inadequate treatment or complications such as abscess formation.

A. Monitor level of consciousness (LOC): While monitoring the patient's level of consciousness is important, administering medication to stop the seizure takes precedence to prevent potential complications associated with prolonged seizure activity.

B. Administer lorazepam (Ativan) 4 mg IV: The priority in managing continuous tonic-clonic seizures is to terminate the seizure activity promptly. Lorazepam is a benzodiazepine that can help to abort seizures and is often used as first-line treatment in the acute setting.

C. Obtain computed tomography (CT) scan: While obtaining diagnostic imaging such as a CT scan may be necessary to evaluate for underlying causes of the seizure, it is not the first
intervention in the acute management of continuous seizures. Stabilizing the patient and stopping the seizure activity take precedence.

D. Give phenytoin (Dilantin) 100 mg IV: Phenytoin is an antiepileptic medication that is used for long-term management of seizures but is not typically administered as first-line treatment during an acute seizure episode. Benzodiazepines like lorazepam are preferred for immediate seizure control.