A client on the mental health unit has been scowling and rapidly pacing up and down the hall for several minutes. Which behaviors are most important for the practical nurse (PN) to monitor?

For a child with heart failure, the greatest priority for the practical nurse (PN) is to conserve the child's energy. Clustered care activities and rest periods will help to conserve the child's energy and minimize the workload on the heart.

Monitoring therapeutic levels of phenytoin (A) is not relevant to the care of a child with heart failure. Increasing fluid intake (B) is not a priority intervention for a child with heart failure, as excessive fluid intake can worsen heart failure. Restricting intake of foods high in sugar (D) may be necessary for a child with heart failure, but it is not the greatest priority for the PN to address.

A. Hematuria is the classic clinical hallmark of acute glomerulonephritis that typically prompts parents to seek medical consultation. The presence of red blood cells in the urine often results in a "cola-colored" or smoky appearance due to the leakage of erythrocytes through the inflamed glomerular basement membrane. This visual change is sudden and alarming to caregivers, serving as a primary reason for acute healthcare visits.

B. Weight loss is an unlikely finding in the initial presentation of acute glomerulonephritis. Instead, these children typically experience rapid weight gain and edema due to sodium and water retention caused by a decreased glomerular filtration rate. The clinical manifestation of fluid overload, including periorbital edema and hypertension, is much more characteristic of the acute inflammatory phase than any nutritional or fluid deficit.

C. Polydipsia, or excessive thirst, is not a typical symptom of acute glomerulonephritis and is more commonly associated with diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus. In glomerulonephritis, the renal system is struggling to filter and excrete fluid, often leading to oliguria rather than the polyuria that drives thirst. Consequently, parents would be more likely to report a decrease in urinary frequency and volume rather than increased intake.

D. A sore throat is a precursor to post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis but is usually no longer present by the time the renal symptoms manifest. The typical latency period between a Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection and the onset of kidney inflammation is approximately 1 to 3 weeks. While the history of a sore throat is diagnostically significant, the active renal symptoms like hematuria are what usually motivate the immediate visit.