A nurse in a mental health facility is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who is taking lithium carbonate.
Which of the following findings places the client at risk for lithium toxicity?

A nurse is caring for a client who is undergoing electroconvulsive therapy. Which of the following tasks should the nurse delegate to an assistive personnel? The correct answer is choice A. Assist the client to ambulate for the first time following the procedure.

Choice A rationale:

Delegating the task of assisting the client to ambulate for the first time after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is appropriate. ECT can cause temporary disorientation and muscle weakness in clients. The client may need physical assistance to prevent falls and ensure their safety. Assistive personnel, under the nurse's supervision, can help the client stand, walk, and ensure their stability during this critical time.

Choice B rationale:

Witnessing the client's signature on the consent for the procedure is a critical nursing responsibility and cannot be delegated. This task ensures that the client has provided informed consent for the procedure, and it requires a licensed healthcare provider to verify the client's understanding and agreement.

Choice C rationale:

Giving the client atropine 30 minutes before the procedure involves administering a medication, which is a nursing responsibility. Atropine is used to reduce excessive salivation and bronchial secretions associated with ECT, and the administration of medication should be carried out by a licensed nurse.

Choice D rationale:

Checking the client's condition after the procedure is also a nursing responsibility. After ECT, clients may experience postictal confusion, disorientation, or temporary memory loss. The nurse must assess the client's vital signs, level of consciousness, and overall condition to ensure a safe recovery. This task requires nursing judgment and cannot be delegated to assistive personnel.

Choice A rationale:

Having several siblings is not a direct contributing factor to the development of conduct disorder. Conduct disorder is more associated with behavioral and social factors, not family size.

Choice B rationale:

The presence of the client's father in the home is an important factor in family dynamics that can contribute to the development of conduct disorder. This is because the involvement and presence of parents, especially fathers, play a significant role in a child's emotional and behavioral development. The absence of a father figure or an unstable family environment can increase the risk of conduct disorder.

Choice C rationale:

The fact that the client's mother has asthma is not directly related to the development of conduct disorder. Asthma is a physical health condition and is not typically associated with conduct disorder unless it affects the family's dynamics in a significant way.

Choice D rationale:

Being the oldest sibling is not necessarily a contributing factor for the development of conduct disorder. Conduct disorder is primarily associated with behavior and environmental factors, not birth order.