A patient who is unconscious and has a pulse is brought to the emergency department. The patient is wearing a Medic-Alert bracelet indicating type 1 diabetes mellitus. The nurse will anticipate an order to administer

A. glucagon: In an unconscious patient with type 1 diabetes, hypoglycemia is a likely cause of altered consciousness. Glucagon raises blood glucose by stimulating glycogen breakdown in the liver, providing rapid correction when the patient cannot safely swallow oral carbohydrates. Prompt administration prevents further neurologic compromise. B. orange juice: Oral glucose sources like juice are ineffective and unsafe in an unconscious patient because they cannot swallow, increasing the risk of aspiration. Administration requires the patient to be alert and able to safely ingest liquids. C. insulin: Insulin lowers blood glucose and would worsen hypoglycemia in an unconscious diabetic patient. Administering insulin in this scenario could lead to severe neurologic injury or death. D. cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): CPR is indicated only if the patient is pulseless or not breathing adequately. Since this patient has a pulse and the immediate concern is hypoglycemia, CPR is not the appropriate intervention at this time.