A nurse is providing nutritional counseling to a client who is in early pregnancy. Which of the following should the nurse recommend the client increase during the first trimester?

A. Platelet count. While important for evaluating bleeding risk, platelet count is not directly used to adjust or determine daily warfarin dosing. Warfarin affects the coagulation cascade, not platelet function.
B. aPTT. The activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) is used to monitor heparin therapy, not warfarin. It assesses the intrinsic pathway of coagulation and is not sensitive to warfarin’s effects on the clotting factors.
C. Fibrinogen level. Fibrinogen is involved in clot formation, but its measurement is not part of routine warfarin management. It is more relevant in evaluating bleeding disorders or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).
D. INR. The international normalized ratio (INR) is the primary lab value used to monitor the effectiveness and safety of warfarin therapy. It helps guide daily dosing by reflecting how long it takes blood to clot, with therapeutic ranges typically between 2.0 and 3.0 for most conditions.

A. "Blurred vision is an expected adverse effect of this medication." Blurred vision is not a common or expected adverse effect of lithium. If this occurs, it may indicate toxicity or another underlying issue and should be reported. It is not part of routine education for expected side effects.
B. "This medication can cause weight gain." This is true. Weight gain is a known long-term adverse effect of lithium therapy and should be discussed with the client and family as part of monitoring and lifestyle considerations during treatment.
C. "This medication can cause nausea and drowsiness." These are common initial side effects when starting lithium and usually subside over time. Clients should be aware of these effects so they can differentiate between expected reactions and signs of toxicity.
D. "It will take at least a week before this medication reaches a therapeutic level." Correct. Lithium takes 7–14 days to reach therapeutic plasma levels, so clients may not experience symptom relief immediately. During this period, supportive care and safety monitoring are essential.
E. "You will be placed on a low-sodium diet while taking this medication." This is incorrect. Lithium has a narrow therapeutic index, and sodium levels affect lithium levels. A low-sodium diet can increase the risk of lithium toxicity, so clients should maintain a consistent sodium intake, not reduce it.