A nurse is planning care for a client in acute Addisonian crisis. Which nursing diagnosis should receive the highest priority?

Reasoning:

Choice A reason: Iron deficiency anemia is a risk post-gastric bypass due to reduced stomach acid and bypassed duodenum, impairing iron absorption. Pantoprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, further reduces acid, exacerbating malabsorption. Fatigue results from low hemoglobin, as iron is essential for red blood cell production, matching the client’s profile.

Choice B reason: Aplastic anemia, caused by bone marrow failure, is not linked to gastric bypass or pantoprazole. It results from autoimmune, toxic, or idiopathic causes, leading to pancytopenia. The client’s surgical history and medication use point to malabsorption, not bone marrow suppression, ruling out this anemia.

Choice C reason: Sickle cell anemia is an inherited hemoglobinopathy, not related to gastric bypass or pantoprazole. It causes hemolytic anemia and vaso-occlusive crises, not malabsorption-related fatigue. The client’s surgical history suggests an acquired nutritional deficiency, making iron deficiency more likely than sickle cell disease.

Choice D reason: Pernicious anemia results from vitamin B12 deficiency, often due to lack of intrinsic factor, which may occur post-gastric bypass. However, pantoprazole primarily impairs iron absorption, and fatigue with this history points to iron deficiency, as B12 absorption is less affected in this scenario.

Reasoning:

Choice A reason: Explaining that physical changes in Cushing’s syndrome, like moon face and weight gain, result from excessive corticosteroids helps the client understand their condition. Cortisol excess causes fat redistribution and metabolic changes, and education promotes adherence to treatment and coping with body image changes, improving psychological and physical management.

Choice B reason: Offering cool, comfortable clothing or bedding addresses symptoms like heat intolerance in Cushing’s syndrome due to cortisol’s metabolic effects. However, it is less critical than education about the condition, as it does not address the underlying cause or promote understanding and adherence to long-term management strategies.

Choice C reason: Increasing salt and fluid intake is appropriate for Addison’s disease, not Cushing’s syndrome, where cortisol’s mineralocorticoid effects cause fluid retention and hypertension. This intervention could worsen fluid overload and hyponatremia, making it inappropriate and potentially harmful for managing Cushing’s syndrome symptoms.

Choice D reason: A high-carbohydrate, low-protein diet is not recommended for Cushing’s syndrome. Cortisol excess causes protein catabolism and hyperglycemia, so a balanced diet with adequate protein supports muscle maintenance and glucose control. This dietary suggestion does not address the metabolic needs of the condition.