A client presents to the emergency department with the following vital signs: blood pressure, 85/50 mm Hg temperature, 38.8 C: pulse, 132 beats/minute; respirations, 22 breaths/minute; and oxygen saturation, 100%. The client states, "I was bitten by a snake while canoeing on the river, but I don't know what type of snake it was." What type of snakebite should the nurse suspect?

Rationale: A. Non-poisonous bites may cause local pain, redness, or minor swelling, but they do not typically produce systemic symptoms such as hypotension, tachycardia, or fever. This client is exhibiting systemic effects, making a non-poisonous bite unlikely. B. Sea snake bites are rare and usually occur in marine environments, not rivers. They often cause muscle pain, weakness, or paralysis rather than the hypotension and tachycardia seen in this client. C. Coral snakes have neurotoxic venom, leading primarily to paralysis, ptosis, or respiratory compromise. They typically do not cause hypotension or tachycardia early on. Coral snakes are also less common in river or freshwater settings. D. Pit vipers, which include rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths, are commonly found in freshwater and woodland areas. Their venom is hemotoxic, causing systemic effects such as hypotension (BP 85/50 mm Hg), tachycardia (132 bpm), and possibly fever (38.8°C), along with local pain and swelling at the bite site. The clinical presentation of rapid-onset hypotension and tachycardia after a freshwater snakebite strongly suggests pit viper envenomation.