A nurse is preparing a client for discharge home after an admission for bilateral pulmonary emboli. The client is prescribed warfarin in addition to regular daily medications. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Choice A reason: Avoiding eye contact with a client experiencing auditory hallucinations may increase feelings of isolation or mistrust. Appropriate eye contact fosters therapeutic communication, conveying empathy and engagement. This action is not evidence-based for managing hallucinations, as it fails to address the client’s experience or build trust, making it inappropriate.
Choice B reason: Encouraging the client to lie down in a quiet room may reduce stimuli but does not directly address auditory hallucinations. This approach is more suitable for sensory overload or anxiety, not for engaging with or understanding the client’s hallucinations, which requires active communication to assess and manage symptoms effectively.
Choice C reason: Asking the client directly what they are hearing is a therapeutic approach that validates their experience and helps assess the nature and impact of hallucinations. This facilitates reality orientation, builds trust, and informs treatment, such as adjusting antipsychotics. It aligns with evidence-based care for schizophrenia, making it the correct action.
Choice D reason: Administering antianxiety medication immediately is not the first step for auditory hallucinations, which are primarily managed with antipsychotics. Without assessing the hallucinations’ content or severity, this action is premature and may not address the underlying psychotic symptoms, making it less appropriate than engaging the client directly.

Choice A reason: Administering oxygen is premature without assessing the cause of chest heaviness. While hypoxia may occur in aneurysm rupture, stopping exertion reduces cardiovascular demand first, prioritizing safety in a client with an abdominal aortic aneurysm at risk for rupture.
Choice B reason: Having the client sit down is the priority, as chest heaviness may signal aneurysm instability. Rest reduces aortic wall stress and oxygen demand, preventing rupture or dissection, stabilizing the client for further assessment and intervention in this high-risk condition.
Choice C reason: Checking vital signs is important but secondary to stopping exertion. Chest heaviness suggests potential aneurysm rupture, and continued ambulation risks catastrophe. Sitting the client minimizes cardiovascular stress, allowing subsequent vital sign checks to guide further actions effectively.
Choice D reason: Notifying the provider is critical but not first. Chest heaviness requires immediate cessation of activity to reduce aortic pressure. Sitting stabilizes the client, allowing data collection (e.g., vital signs) before provider notification, ensuring urgent intervention for potential aneurysm complications.