When caring for a patient with stridor, what is the priority nursing action?

When caring for a patient exhibiting stridor, assessing the airway is the priority nursing action. Stridor indicates that there is an obstruction or narrowing in the upper airway, which can lead to significant respiratory distress. By assessing the airway, the nurse can evaluate the severity of the obstruction and determine the appropriate interventions needed to ensure the patient's airway is secure.

In critical situations where stridor is present, timely assessment helps identify whether immediate actions, such as administering oxygen or providing airway management (such as suctioning or intubation), are necessary to prevent further complications. Recognizing the urgency of maintaining a patent airway is vital, as failure to address airway issues promptly can result in respiratory failure or even death.

While encouraging the patient to cough may seem beneficial for clearing secretions, it could exacerbate the situation for someone with stridor by causing further airway compromise. Applying oxygen and notifying the physician are also important, but they are secondary to the immediate need for airway assessment. Therefore, airway assessment takes precedence in this scenario.