Which of these vital signs—BP would you report to the doctor?

Choice A reason: A blood pressure of 90/60 mmHg is hypotensive, indicating potentially inadequate perfusion to organs, which may result from dehydration, shock, or medication effects. This reading is concerning and requires reporting to the doctor for further evaluation and management to prevent complications like organ failure.

Choice B reason: A blood pressure of 125/68 mmHg is within normal to slightly elevated ranges, not immediately concerning. It does not warrant urgent reporting unless accompanied by symptoms or trends suggesting instability, as it aligns with typical adult values under most clinical guidelines.

Choice C reason: A blood pressure of 144/76 mmHg is elevated but not critical unless persistent or symptomatic. It suggests prehypertension or early hypertension, which may need monitoring but not immediate reporting unless other clinical factors, like symptoms or patient history, indicate urgency.

Choice D reason: A blood pressure of 150/70 mmHg is elevated, indicating possible hypertension, but not an emergency unless accompanied by symptoms like chest pain. It requires monitoring rather than immediate reporting, as it falls short of hypertensive crisis thresholds like 180/120 mmHg.

Choice A reason: Stage 4 pressure injury involves full-thickness tissue loss with exposed muscle, bone, or tendon, as described with a deep depression and visible bone. This severe stage requires aggressive interventions like debridement or surgery. Accurate staging ensures proper wound care, preventing infection and promoting healing in advanced pressure injuries.

Choice B reason: Stage 3 involves full-thickness loss to subcutaneous tissue, not muscle or bone, unlike the described injury with visible bone (stage 4). Misstaging as 3 underestimates severity, risking inadequate treatments like simple dressings, delaying surgical intervention or infection control critical for deep pressure injuries with bone exposure.

Choice C reason: Stage 1 is intact skin with erythema, not a deep lesion with bone exposure, which is stage 4. Misstaging as 1 grossly underestimates severity, neglecting urgent needs like debridement or antibiotics, risking infection, sepsis, or further tissue loss in severe pressure injuries requiring advanced wound management.

Choice D reason: Stage 2 involves partial-thickness loss with a shallow wound, not deep muscle or bone exposure, as in stage 4. Misstaging as 2 risks inadequate care, like topical treatments instead of surgical intervention, delaying healing and increasing complications like osteomyelitis in severe pressure injuries with visible bone.