The patient is brought to the emergency room after briefly losing consciousness. He states, “I feel like my heart has been racing for days now. I just assumed it was stress, but now it feels so much worse.” He is pale, diaphoretic, and tachypneic. His heart rate is 118 bpm and his blood pressure is 86/52 mmHg. An electrocardiogram shows an irregularly irregular RR interval without distinct P waves. The nurse prepares the patient for which intervention? 

The 24-year-old patient presents to the emergency department complaining of malaise and intractable sore throat with onset 24 hours previously. Upon assessment, the nurse notes swollen cervical lymph nodes and a temperature of 39.3°C. The patient denies nasal discharge or cough. Which question by the nurse is most important?

A patient presents to the emergency department with respiratory distress syndrome. The patient’s respiratory rate is 28 breaths per minute and oxygen saturation is 80% on room air. At the cellular level, the nurse knows which molecule is present in relative overabundance?