The nurse has five patients: two day-one post-op, two fresh out of surgery, and one with dementia. One fresh post-op starts bleeding, the demented patient climbs out of bed, and another day-one post-op patient complains of pain. What is the nurse's first action?

• A. Call for assistance
• B. Attend to the patient with pain first
• C. Secure the demented patient and monitor others
• D. Document and reassess later

Answer: (A)

When several patients have urgent needs, the priority is to address the most dangerous situation first and bring in help to manage it. A post-op patient who has started bleeding is at immediate risk of rapid deterioration from hemorrhage and shock. That situation requires more hands and resources than one nurse can provide, so summoning assistance is the quickest way to stabilize the patient and prevent a life-threatening outcome.

With help on the way, you can then focus on safety and comfort for the others: securing the demented patient to prevent a fall and continuing to monitor the remaining post-op patient. Pain management is important, but it’s not as urgent as stopping active bleeding. Delaying to document and reassess, or to address pain alone, would miss the most critical threat first.