A nurse is assisting with the admission of an alert and oriented client to the orthopedic surgical unit.

Which of the following sources of information should the nurse rely on for accurate information about the client?

A. Documentation is a communication tool for the interprofessional health care team

The purpose of documentation in the electronic health record (EHR) includes serving as a communication tool among members of the interprofessional healthcare team. Accurate and timely documentation allows healthcare providers to share information about the client's care, treatment, and outcomes.

B. Documentation allows providers to monitor the nurse’s activities:

While documentation provides a record of the nurse's activities, the primary purpose is to communicate information about patient care rather than serving as a tool for monitoring the nurse's activities.

C. Documentation provides information to the client about financial charges:

The primary purpose of documentation is to record and communicate information about the client's health status, care, and outcomes. Financial information is typically managed separately from clinical documentation.

D. Documentation provides information for a client audit:

While documentation can be used in audits for quality assurance, the primary purpose is to record and communicate information about patient care. The use of documentation for audits is a secondary function related to quality improvement and regulatory compliance.

A. Wait 30 min and return to measure the oral temperature:

Waiting 30 minutes may not be necessary. It's more practical to take immediate steps to address potential factors affecting the reading.

B. Provide the client a sip of warm water, wait 5 min, and measure the temperature:

This can be a reasonable and practical approach to stimulate blood flow in the oral cavity and achieve a more accurate oral temperature reading.

C. Document that the nurse was unable to measure the client’s temperature:

Before documenting an inability to measure the temperature, the nurse should attempt appropriate interventions, such as warming the oral cavity or using an alternate route

D. Determine if the client has eaten or drank within the last 15 minutes:

Eating or drinking something cold shortly before taking an oral temperature can result in a lower reading. Checking for recent intake is important to ensure the accuracy of the measurement.

E. Use an alternate route (i.e., axillary, rectal) to take the client’s temperature:

If the oral temperature reading remains difficult to obtain or is not reliable, using an alternate route may be necessary. However, this depends on the client's condition, the reason for the temperature measurement, and the healthcare facility's protocols.