When caring for a client with status asthmaticus, what should the nurse do first?

In the context of managing a client with status asthmaticus, placing the client in a high Fowler position is essential because it promotes optimal lung expansion and facilitates easier respiration. This position helps reduce the work of breathing by allowing gravity to assist the diaphragm and chest wall movements, which is particularly beneficial during an asthma attack when the airways are constricted and airflow is severely limited.

Additionally, positioning can help alleviate discomfort and anxiety, which can further exacerbate breathing difficulties. While administering oxygen therapy is critical and monitoring vital signs is necessary in this emergency, the immediate step that can provide the most significant benefit in terms of improving respiratory function is positioning the client appropriately. This action is foundational in the sequence of interventions aimed at stabilizing the patient's condition.

Though intravenous access may be needed for administering medications later on, the priority is first ensuring the client is positioned in a way that supports their respiratory needs.