A nurse is providing care for a group of postpartum clients. Which of the following clients should the nurse see first?

Rationale: A. A client who is 4 hr postpartum and has a heart rate of 90/min: A heart rate of 90/min is within normal postpartum limits. This client is stable and does not require immediate assessment, making them a lower priority compared to clients showing signs of possible infection or complications. B. A client who is 4 days postpartum and has a WBC count of 18,000/mm³ (5,000 to 10,000/mm³): An elevated WBC count 4 days postpartum can indicate a serious infection, such as endometritis or another postpartum infection. This client is at risk for rapid deterioration and requires immediate assessment and intervention. C. A client who is 12 hr postpartum and has an oral temperature of 37.8° C (100° F): A mild temperature elevation shortly after birth can be expected due to normal postpartum physiologic changes. While it should be monitored, it is not as urgent as the markedly elevated WBC count indicating potential infection. D. A client who is 2 days postpartum and reports dysuria: Dysuria may indicate a urinary tract infection, which requires evaluation, but this is less immediately threatening than a client with signs of systemic infection. This client should be assessed after clients with potential severe infection or hemodynamic instability.