A nurse is caring for a client who has hypoglycemia. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

A. The client reports that they get upset with their family members for no reason: Irritability and emotional outbursts are common behavioral responses to stress but do not necessarily indicate denial. They reflect difficulty coping rather than refusal to acknowledge the reality of the condition.

B. The client brings a list of questions about their diagnosis to their appointment: Seeking information demonstrates engagement and active coping with the diagnosis, which is a sign of acceptance and adaptive behavior, not denial.

C. The client refuses to accept treatment for their diagnosis: Denial is a defense mechanism in which a client consciously or unconsciously refuses to acknowledge the reality of a diagnosis or the need for treatment. Refusal to accept prescribed interventions directly reflects the client’s difficulty recognizing or accepting their condition.

D. The client calls the office multiple times per day to speak with their provider: Frequent calls indicate anxiety or a need for reassurance, which may reflect heightened stress or worry, but this behavior alone does not demonstrate denial of the diagnosis.

A. Back pain: Back pain is not a hallmark finding of postpartum endometritis. While some discomfort may occur due to uterine involution or positioning during labor, infection of the endometrial lining typically presents with uterine tenderness rather than isolated back pain. It is more commonly associated with musculoskeletal strain or renal conditions.

B. Bradycardia: Endometritis is an infectious process, and the body’s response typically includes tachycardia rather than bradycardia due to fever and systemic inflammation. Bradycardia would be inconsistent with the expected physiological response to infection and may suggest an alternative or unrelated condition.

C. Agitation: Although severe infection or sepsis can lead to altered mental status, agitation is not a primary or early sign of postpartum endometritis. More common early findings include fever, uterine tenderness, foul-smelling lochia, and systemic signs of infection rather than behavioral or cognitive disturbances.

D. Chills: Chills are a classic systemic manifestation of infection and are commonly associated with postpartum endometritis. The infection of the uterine lining triggers an inflammatory response, leading to fever and chills as the body attempts to fight the invading pathogens. These findings often occur alongside uterine tenderness and foul-smelling lochia.