Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) occurs when a person physiologically dependent on ethanol abruptly reduces or stops intake, triggering CNS hyperexcitability. The danger: uncomplicated withdrawal can escalate within 6–72 hours to life-threatening delirium tremens (DT), characterized by autonomic instability, seizures, and hyperthermia — carrying a mortality rate of 5–15% if untreated. The three nursing priorities are (1) prevent or control withdrawal seizures, (2) correct concurrent fluid and electrolyte deficits, and (3) administer thiamine BEFORE any dextrose-containing fluids to prevent Wernicke's encephalopathy. NCLEX trap: candidates choose lorazepam AFTER a seizure rather than recognizing the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA-Ar) score ≥10 as the trigger for prophylactic benzodiazepine dosing. On the exam, writers often pair stable-sounding options with unstable data—notice the mismatch before you commit. If the stem names a license or role, reread that line; scope errors are classic trap answers even when the clinical topic is familiar. Run a 60-second scan: breathing work and oxygenation, perfusion and end organs, neuro baseline, likely infection sources, and devices that can fail quietly. When two answers feel partly right, pick the one...