A nurse is caring for four patients. After reviewing today's laboratory results, which patient should the nurse assess first?

Choice A reason: A PT of 28 seconds is significantly prolonged, indicating a high risk for bleeding. Normal PT ranges from 11 to 13.5 seconds. This patient may be on anticoagulants or have a clotting disorder, and should be assessed immediately for signs of bleeding or hemorrhage. Choice B reason: A platelet count of 128,000/mm³ is mildly below normal (normal range: 150,000–400,000/mm³), but not critically low. While it warrants monitoring, it does not pose an immediate life-threatening risk compared to a severely prolonged PT. Choice C reason: An INR of 2.8 is elevated but may be therapeutic depending on the patient’s condition (e.g., mechanical heart valve or atrial fibrillation). It requires monitoring but is not as urgent as a PT of 28 seconds unless accompanied by bleeding. Choice D reason: A red blood cell count of 5.1 million/mcL is within normal limits for most adults. This patient does not require immediate assessment based on this lab value.