A client needs an abduction pillow placed. How should the practical nurse (PN) position the client prior to placing the pillow?

A. Monitor the client for nausea or vomiting following the treatment: Ondansetron is an antiemetic used to prevent or reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Evaluating its effectiveness involves assessing whether the client experiences these specific symptoms during and after treatment.

B. Observe the client for signs of pain or discomfort during the treatment: While monitoring for pain is important, ondansetron does not address pain. Observing pain does not provide information about the effectiveness of this antiemetic.

C. Assess for changes in vital signs during and after the treatment: Vital signs may be influenced by chemotherapy or other medications, but they are not a reliable measure of ondansetron’s effectiveness in controlling nausea and vomiting.

D. Determine if the client feels calm and relaxed before the treatment: Ondansetron does not have anxiolytic properties. Evaluating the client’s emotional state before treatment does not assess the effectiveness of the medication in preventing nausea or vomiting.

A. Lateral, semi-prone: This position provides limited access to one side of the posterior chest only, which restricts full assessment of both lung fields and may compromise accurate auscultation findings.

B. Semi-Fowler’s: While comfortable for breathing, this position does not allow the nurse to fully access the posterior lung areas, where lower-lobe sounds—such as crackles from pneumonia—are best heard.

C. Right side-lying: Positioning the client on the right side limits the ability to assess the left posterior lung fields and can mask abnormal breath sounds in the affected lobe.

D. Forward orthopneic: Sitting upright and leaning slightly forward allows the nurse to access all posterior lung fields clearly. This position also facilitates better expansion of the lungs, improving both auscultation accuracy and client comfort during assessment.