After a recent stroke, what is the nurse's priority assessment for the client?

The priority assessment for a client who has recently experienced a stroke is focused on their ability to clear oral secretions. This assessment is critical because strokes can affect motor control and the ability to safely manage secretions due to potential weaknesses in the facial and throat muscles. If a client cannot clear secretions effectively, it increases the risk of aspiration, which can lead to pneumonia or other serious complications. Monitoring this function ensures that the nurse can intervene quickly if the client is unable to maintain a clear airway, making this assessment of utmost importance.

Assessing the client's ability to communicate, mobility, and level of consciousness are also important, but they may not pose an immediate risk to the client's safety in the way that their ability to clear secretions does. If a client cannot manage their oral secretions, they might not be able to swallow safely, which could lead to immediate and severe respiratory issues. Therefore, prioritizing the assessment of this function is essential in the acute care setting following a stroke.