Angina-first intervention

[monica1matos]

Hello, I am a nursing student, and I am a little confused about which intervention should be first when caring for a patient with an Angina? should it be administer Oxygen or give the Nitro?

thanks in advance,

BTW I am new to the site so I don't know how to use it well.

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

O2 first and foremost. Make sure the head of the bed is up. Assess the patient's pain (PQRST) and take vital signs. On my floor we have a standing order to order a STAT EKG and notify the physician if a patient starts complaining of chest pain. If the patient already has PRN orders for some morphine and NTG, I go ahead and give that, too. Otherwise I'll have to get orders from the physician to give those meds. And don't forget the chewed ASA!