The elderly client diagnosed with a panic attack disorder is in the busy day room of a long-term care facility and appears anxious, is starting to hyperventilate, is trembling, and is sweating. Which...

The elderly client diagnosed with a panic attack disorder is in the busy day room of a long-term care facility and appears anxious, is starting to hyperventilate, is trembling, and is sweating. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?

1. Administer the benzodiazepine alprazolam (Xanax).

2. Assess the client’s vital signs.

3. Remove the client from the day room.

4. Administer the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) sertraline (Zoloft)