A 39-year-old client is admitted with a severely abscessed tooth. The nurse assess vital signs of BP 92/44, HR 134, RR 26, Spo2 90% on room air, temperature 38.9° C. What is the priority nursing intervention?

A. While antibiotics are essential to treat the infection, the client is showing signs of septic shock (hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea, hypoxemia). Antibiotics alone will not immediately stabilize the patient’s circulatory compromise. Early fluid resuscitation takes priority to restore perfusion. B. Blood cultures are necessary for guiding antibiotic therapy and identifying pathogens, but obtaining labs does not address the immediate hemodynamic instability. Delaying resuscitation while awaiting lab results can worsen organ perfusion. C. Catheterization may be useful for monitoring urine output, which reflects perfusion, but it is not the first intervention. Immediate stabilization of blood pressure and circulation takes precedence. D. The client’s low blood pressure (92/44), tachycardia (HR 134), tachypnea (RR 26), and hypoxemia (SpO2 90%) indicate septic shock with hypoperfusion. Rapid IV fluid administration (usually isotonic crystalloids) is the priority intervention to restore circulating volume, improve tissue perfusion, and prevent progression to multi-organ dysfunction.