5. A nurse is assigned to care for the following patients. Which patient should the nurse assess fi rst?

1. A 60-year-old patient on a ventilator for whom a sterile sputum specimen must be sent to the laboratory 2. A 55-year-old with COPD and a pulse oximetry reading from the previous shift of 90%

saturation 3. A 70-year-old with pneumonia who needs to be started on IV antibiotics 4. A 50-year-old with asthma who complains of shortness of breath after using a bronchodilator