A patient has just vomited. What is the first thing the nurse should do?

• A. Check the patient’s vital signs.
• B. Colour and amount of vomit.
• C. Administer antiemetic.
• D. Call the physician.

Answer: (B)

When a patient has just vomited, the first step is to observe and document the vomitus itself. This immediate data tells you a lot about what might be going on and helps set the next steps.

The color and amount are crucial clues. The presence of blood or a coffee-ground appearance could indicate a gastrointestinal bleed, while bright green or yellow bile suggests different sources of gastric or biliary involvement. The volume gives a quick sense of dehydration risk and the sheer extent of the episode. By identifying these features right away, you can assess urgency and decide what actions are needed next.

After you have this initial information, you would move on to monitoring the patient’s vitals and overall condition, but you don’t jump to treatments or calling for help before understanding what the vomiting looks like. Administering antiemetics or summoning the physician would be guided by what you see in the vomitus and how the patient’s condition evolves.

In short, collecting the appearance and amount of vomitus first provides essential clues that shape all subsequent care.