A client was admitted to the inpatient unit for depression and is prescribed a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Which sign or symptom would the nurse include in the teaching session about serotonin syndrome?

Choice A reason: Daily weight monitoring and reporting a 3-pound gain in one day indicates fluid retention, a sign of worsening heart failure. This is correct and shows understanding of self-monitoring to prevent complications, requiring no further teaching.

Choice B reason: Notifying the provider about increasing shortness of breath at rest is appropriate, as it signals worsening heart failure due to reduced cardiac output or pulmonary edema. This reflects proper understanding of symptom monitoring, requiring no additional teaching.

Choice C reason: A low-sodium diet reduces fluid retention in heart failure by decreasing sodium-induced water retention, preventing worsening of edema or congestion. This statement is correct and demonstrates understanding of dietary management, requiring no further teaching.

Choice D reason: Sleeping in a reclining chair may occur in severe heart failure due to orthopnea, but it is not a standard recommendation. It suggests poor symptom control, requiring further teaching on optimizing medical management, such as medication adherence and fluid monitoring, to prevent this need.

Choice A reason: Resting after meals may suggest the client is avoiding purging, a positive step in bulimia recovery. However, it does not address the underlying emotional triggers driving binge-purge cycles. Without developing healthier coping mechanisms, resting alone is insufficient to indicate significant progress in managing the disorder.

Choice B reason: Verbalizing knowledge of past eating patterns shows insight into bulimia nervosa but does not necessarily indicate behavioral change. Understanding patterns is a preliminary step, but without implementing healthier coping strategies, it does not demonstrate active progress in altering the binge-purge cycle or emotional regulation.

Choice C reason: Identifying calorie content reflects awareness of food intake, which may be part of nutritional education in bulimia treatment. However, this knowledge alone does not address the emotional or behavioral components of the disorder, such as binge-purge triggers, making it less indicative of positive progress.

Choice D reason: Bulimia nervosa is often driven by emotional distress, with binge-purge behaviors as maladaptive coping mechanisms. Exhibiting healthy ways to cope with emotions, such as through therapy or stress management techniques, directly addresses the root cause, reducing reliance on disordered eating and indicating significant progress in recovery.