A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving morphine intravenously. Which of the following findings indicates the client is experiencing morphine toxicity?

Choice A reason: Percussion precedes palpation to assess abdominal resonance and organ size without altering bowel motility. Performing it last risks inaccurate findings, as palpation may stimulate peristalsis, changing resonance patterns. This sequence ensures reliable detection of abnormalities like organomegaly or fluid accumulation in the abdomen.
Choice B reason: Auscultation is done before palpation to capture natural bowel sounds. Manipulation during palpation can alter peristalsis, affecting auscultatory findings. Early auscultation ensures accurate detection of hypoactive or hyperactive bowel sounds, critical for diagnosing conditions like ileus or obstruction in abdominal assessments.
Choice C reason: Palpation is the final step, following inspection, auscultation, and percussion, to assess for tenderness or masses. This sequence prevents manipulation from altering earlier findings, ensuring accurate identification of abdominal abnormalities like peritonitis or organ enlargement, critical for a comprehensive physical examination.
Choice D reason: Inspection is the first step, providing a visual baseline of abdominal appearance, such as distension or scars. Performing it last misses initial cues guiding subsequent steps. Early inspection ensures no manipulation affects visual assessment, vital for identifying external signs of underlying abdominal pathology.

Choice A reason: A heart rate of 60/min is within normal range and does not indicate fluid overload, which may present with tachycardia due to increased cardiac workload. This finding is more consistent with normal physiology or hypovolemia, making it incorrect for identifying fluid overload.
Choice B reason: Skin warm and dry suggests normal hydration or dehydration, not fluid overload, which typically causes edema or moist skin. Dry skin indicates fluid deficit, not excess, making this finding irrelevant and incorrect for assessing fluid overload in this client.
Choice C reason: A respiratory rate of 30/min indicates tachypnea, a sign of fluid overload due to pulmonary edema from excess IV fluids. Fluid in the lungs impairs gas exchange, increasing breathing effort, aligning with clinical manifestations of overload, making this the correct finding.
Choice D reason: Tenting skin turgor indicates dehydration, not fluid overload, as it reflects reduced skin elasticity from fluid loss. Fluid overload causes edema, not tenting, making this finding opposite to the expected presentation and incorrect for this scenario.