A nurse is assisting with the care of a client

Exhibits

Select the 3 findings that require immediate follow-up.

Rationale:

A. "I should be able to follow my normal routine after the staples are removed from my incision.” Normal activities should be resumed gradually; simply removing staples does not mean the incision and abdominal muscles have fully healed.

B. "I will ask my partner to perform household chores until my incision is healed." Delegating strenuous tasks supports proper healing and prevents strain on the incision site, reflecting appropriate understanding of postpartum activity restrictions.

C. "I will wait 4 to 6 weeks to perform kegel exercises." Kegel exercises can usually begin soon after delivery to strengthen pelvic floor muscles and are not delayed for several weeks unless specifically advised.

D. "I will maintain modified bed rest for the first 48 to 72 hours at home." While initial rest is important, prolonged bed rest can increase the risk of complications like blood clots. Gradual ambulation is encouraged to promote circulation and recovery.

Rationale:

 • Seizures: The client’s significantly elevated T3 (230 ng/dL), T4 (3.4 ng/dL), and TSI (150%) levels, along with symptoms such as anxiety, heat intolerance, insomnia, and irritability, suggest hyperthyroidism and risk for thyroid storm. This hypermetabolic state can lead to neurological complications including seizures due to increased cerebral excitability.

 • Pneumonia: The client has no respiratory distress, maintains a clear airway, has normal respiratory rate and oxygen saturation, and shows no pulmonary abnormalities. There are no signs to suggest a risk for infection or hypoventilation.

 • Paralytic ileus: There are no gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal distension, absent bowel sounds, or nausea. The client has normal GI function with a good appetite and soft brown stools, ruling out risk of ileus.

 • thyroid storm: The clinical picture unplanned weight loss, exophthalmos, goiter, hyperreflexia (suggested by irritability), and insomnia aligns with Graves’ disease and severe thyrotoxicosis. Surgery can precipitate a thyroid storm if thyroid hormone levels are not well controlled beforehand.

 • hypoparathyroidism: While this is a known risk after thyroidectomy due to parathyroid injury, the client has not yet had surgery at the time of the lab results and symptoms. No signs of hypocalcemia (e.g., tingling, cramps) are present either.

 • laryngeal nerve damage: This is an intraoperative complication, generally presenting as hoarseness or voice changes. There are no findings suggesting vocal cord involvement, and it would not lead to seizures.