A health care provider has ordered vital signs every 4 hours.

The client’s 8:00 AM temperature was 99° F (37.2° C).

At 10 AM, the client reported chills.

A nurse takes the client’s temperature again. Which type of nursing action does this exemplify?

Illness in one family member can affect the other family members. This is because family-centered nursing care recognizes that the family is the basic unit of society and that each member's health influences the whole family's health. Family-centered nursing care also involves collaborating with the family to provide care that meets their needs, preferences, and values.

Choice A is wrong because the nurse does not provide family-centered nursing care to avoid the client’s loneliness. Loneliness is a psychosocial need, not a physiologic one, and it can be addressed by other means than involving the family.

Choice B is wrong because the client’s compliance with medical instructions is not the primary goal of family-centered nursing care. Compliance is influenced by many factors, such as motivation, education, culture, and trust, and it may not always depend on the family’s involvement.

Choice C is wrong because the family’s willingness to listen to instructions is not the main reason for providing family-centered nursing care. The nurse should respect the family’s autonomy and decision-making, and not impose instructions that may conflict with their beliefs or values.

Ineffective Airway Clearance. This is because a client with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 6 has a severe impairment of consciousness and is at risk of aspiration, respiratory failure, and infection. The GCS is a clinical scale that measures a person’s level of consciousness after a brain injury based on their eye, verbal and motor responses. A GCS score of 6 indicates that the client only opens eyes to pain, makes incomprehensible sounds and shows abnormal flexion to pain.

Choice A is wrong because Acute Confusion is not a priority nursing diagnosis for a client with a GCS of 6.

Acute Confusion is a state of disorientation and impaired memory that can be caused by various factors such as medication, infection, electrolyte imbalance or dementia.

A client with a GCS of 6 is not likely to be confused, but rather unresponsive or minimally responsive.

Choice B is wrong because Self-Care Deficit is not a priority nursing diagnosis for a client with a GCS of 6.

Self-care deficit is the impaired ability to perform activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, feeding or toileting.

A client with a GCS of 6 will need assistance with all these activities, but the most urgent concern is their airway patency and oxygenation.

Choice C is wrong because Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity is not a priority nursing diagnosis for a client with a GCS of 6.

Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity is the potential for damage to the skin or underlying tissues due to pressure, friction, shear or moisture.

A client with a GCS of 6 may be at risk for developing pressure ulcers or skin breakdown due to immobility and reduced sensation, but this is not as life-threatening as ineffective airway clearance.