What is the priority during triage for a 60-year-old patient with chest pain?

In a triage scenario involving a 60-year-old patient with chest pain, initiating cardiac monitoring is essential because chest pain can be a sign of a serious cardiac event such as a myocardial infarction (heart attack). By starting cardiac monitoring, healthcare providers can assess the patient's heart rhythm and identify any abnormalities, such as arrhythmias, that may require immediate intervention. This real-time monitoring provides critical information that helps in making decisions about further treatment and intervention.

While providing comfort measures and evaluating the pain level and history are important steps in patient care, they do not directly address the immediate need to monitor the patient's cardiac status. Similarly, while sending for a stat EKG is important for diagnosing the cause of chest pain, it comes after ensuring that the patient’s heart is being continuously observed for any changes. In the critical setting of chest pain, continuous monitoring takes precedence to ensure that any life-threatening issues can be promptly identified and managed.