A nurse assesses a client admitted to the emergency department with acute pancreatitis. Which treatment should the nurse prioritize?

Rationale: A. Nutritional support is important in acute pancreatitis, particularly if oral intake is delayed due to NPO status. However, it is not the immediate priority in the initial management of acute pancreatitis. B. Patient education is essential for long-term management, dietary changes, and prevention of complications, but it is not the priority during the acute phase when the patient is unstable or in severe pain. C. Pain management is important and should be addressed promptly, but it is secondary to stabilizing vital functions. Severe pain is common in acute pancreatitis, but untreated hypovolemia and shock pose a greater immediate risk to life. D. Acute pancreatitis often causes third-spacing of fluids, hypovolemia, and risk of shock due to systemic inflammatory response and fluid shifts into the retroperitoneal space. Aggressive intravenous fluid replacement is the priority treatment to maintain perfusion, prevent organ failure, and stabilize the client before other interventions such as pain management or nutrition.