After right femoral popliteal bypass surgery, which action is the nurse's initial priority for worsening leg pain?

The initial priority for a nurse following right femoral popliteal bypass surgery and noting worsening leg pain is to assess the patient's pedal pulses. This action is critical because the presence or absence of these pulses can provide immediate information regarding the blood flow to the lower extremities. If the pedal pulses are diminished or absent, it may indicate potential complications such as graft occlusion or peripheral artery disease, both of which could require urgent intervention to preserve limb viability.

Assessing the pedal pulses helps in determining the adequacy of perfusion and guides the appropriate next steps in management. It allows for a quick evaluation of the vascular status of the limb, which is essential in the postoperative setting where the patient is at risk for complications that could threaten limb use or survival.

The other options, while relevant to patient care, do not take precedence in the immediate assessment of limb viability. For instance, applying pressure with a sandbag may be useful if there’s bleeding, but it does not provide critical information about the circulation. Assessing for claudication is important for understanding the patient's mobility and pain profile but is not as urgent as verifying pedal pulses. Lastly, applying warm compresses may offer symptomatic relief for pain but does not address the urgent need to assess circulation status.