A 17-year-old teenager presents to the ED with a deformed right ankle. She states that she was running the mile at school and she tripped and fell. There are no openings in the skin. A pulse cannot be obtained by touch to the right foot, which is pale and cool to palpation. The patient rates her pain as an "9" on a 0-to-10 scale.
1. Explain the priority nursing action at this time.
2. Which of these medications would be an appropriate order? Why?
Morphine 1-2 mg IV
Meperidine 50 mg IM
Acetaminophen 650 mg by mouth
3. Discuss priority interventions after a cast is applied