A nurse is planning care for an adolescent who is postoperative following scoliosis repair with Harrington rod instrumentation. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care?

Individuals with spina bifida who are paralyzed from the waist down may have difficulty emptying their bladder completely and may need to perform intermittent catheterization.
The frequency of catheterization can vary depending on the individual’s needs, but it is typically performed every 3-6 hours or 4-6 times per day.
Choice A, “I do wheelchair exercises while watching TV,” is a positive statement because exercise is important for overall health and well-being.
Choice B, “I carry a water bottle with me because I drink a lot of water,” is also a positive statement because staying hydrated is important for overall health.
Choice C, “I use a suppository every night to have a bowel movement,” is not necessarily an indication for further teaching because some individuals with spinal bifida may need to use bowel management techniques such as suppositories to help regulate bowel movements.

Choice A rationale: Yellow nasal discharge in a toddler with acute nephrotic syndrome signifies a potential upper respiratory tract infection, which is critically important. Children with nephrotic syndrome are highly susceptible to infections due to significant urinary loss of immunoglobulins, leading to an immunocompromised state. Furthermore, corticosteroid treatments, often prescribed for nephrotic syndrome, suppress the immune system. An infection can precipitate a relapse of the syndrome, lead to severe complications like peritonitis or sepsis, and requires prompt evaluation and potentially antibiotic therapy to prevent life-threatening outcomes.

Choice B rationale: Poor appetite is a non-specific symptom in toddlers with nephrotic syndrome and does not typically indicate an immediate, life-threatening complication. It can be attributed to generalized malaise, abdominal discomfort due to ascites, or even side effects of medications such as corticosteroids. While important to monitor for nutritional status and overall well-being, it does not carry the same urgency as signs of infection, which can rapidly lead to severe health deterioration in an immunocompromised child.

Choice C rationale: Facial edema is a cardinal clinical manifestation of acute nephrotic syndrome, resulting from profound hypoalbuminemia. Reduced plasma oncotic pressure causes fluid to shift from the intravascular space into the interstitial space, leading to generalized edema, often prominently in the face. This finding is expected and indicates the disease process itself, rather than an acute, unexpected complication requiring immediate reporting, unless there is a sudden, significant worsening or associated respiratory compromise.

Choice D rationale: Irritability in a toddler can be a manifestation of general discomfort, illness, or even a side effect of corticosteroid therapy, which can cause mood disturbances and behavioral changes. While it warrants assessment to identify the underlying cause, irritability is a non-specific symptom and does not directly indicate an urgent, life-threatening complication of nephrotic syndrome requiring immediate medical intervention, unlike the signs of an acute infection in an immunocompromised child.