A nurse in a community clinic is caring for a client who requests assistance with smoking cessation. The nurse should expect a prescription for which of the following medications?

Rationale:

A. "The client is a member of the board of directors.": Personal or non-clinical information such as the client’s status or occupation is irrelevant to care delivery and violates confidentiality principles unless directly related to medical decision-making or care needs.

B. "The client was intubated without complications.": While this may be a useful detail in some cases, it is not as clinically relevant as reporting measurable data like blood loss. Intubation is standard for many surgeries, and if no complications occurred, it may not impact ongoing care.

C. "The estimated blood loss was 250 milliliters.": Estimated blood loss is a critical piece of information that affects postoperative care decisions, such as fluid replacement, monitoring for hypovolemia, and vital sign trends. It is an essential component of the PACU-to-floor hand-off.

D. "There was a total of 10 sponges used during the procedure.": Sponge counts are important intraoperatively to ensure none are retained, but this detail is primarily documented in surgical records. It is not routinely included in hand-off reports unless a count discrepancy occurred.

Rationale:

A. Initiate contact precautions: No signs of infection or communicable disease are present, so contact precautions are unnecessary.

B. Decrease lighting in the client’s room: The client is restless and later becomes lethargic, suggesting neurological irritability or worsening preeclampsia. Reducing environmental stimuli like lighting can help minimize seizures and agitation.

C. Check urinary output: The client’s urine output decreased to 20 mL in one hour, which is concerning for renal impairment often seen in severe preeclampsia. Monitoring output closely helps detect worsening kidney function and fluid balance.

D. Prepare for amniocentesis: There is no indication for amniocentesis in this clinical scenario related to preeclampsia or maternal condition.

E. Encourage bed rest: Bed rest in the side-lying position improves uteroplacental perfusion and helps control blood pressure, reducing the risk of complications from preeclampsia.

F. Monitor blood pressure: Blood pressure is elevated and critical to assess frequently to evaluate disease progression and prevent hypertensive emergencies or seizures.

G. Apply internal fetal monitor: The client has no contractions and a stable external fetal heart rate. Internal monitoring is invasive and reserved for active labor or when external monitoring is insufficient.

H. Assess DTR: The shift from hyperreflexia (3+) to hyporeflexia (1+) may indicate worsening neurological status or magnesium sulfate toxicity if administered. Continuous monitoring is essential.