What is the first action a nurse should take after discovering a client has no pulse or respirations?

The first action a nurse should take after discovering that a client has no pulse or respirations is to initiate high-quality chest compressions. This step is critical because it helps maintain blood circulation to vital organs, particularly the brain and heart, during cardiac arrest. High-quality chest compressions can significantly increase the chances of survival and positive outcomes if defibrillation and advanced cardiac life support can be initiated timely.

Immediately starting chest compressions is aligned with the basic life support (BLS) guidelines, which emphasize the importance of early intervention in cardiac emergencies. Establishing an airway or initiating intravenous access are also important steps in the resuscitation process, but they should occur after compressions have commenced to ensure that the heart has some level of circulation and blood flow.

Other actions, like obtaining the crash cart, are necessary as well but are not the priority action in the immediate moments after discovering the lack of pulse or respirations. The focus must first be on providing compressions to stabilize the patient's condition until further support can be effectively rendered.