A nurse is teaching a client about health conditions that increase the risk for developing Meniere’s disease. Which of the following factors should the nurse include in the teaching?

A. Assess palmar reflex. Assessing the palmar reflex helps evaluate the integrity of the nervous system, particularly in response to tactile stimuli. In clients with severe TBI, abnormal reflexes may indicate neurological impairment and guide further assessment and intervention.

B. Assess for cough reflex. Assessing the cough reflex is important for evaluating airway protection and the risk of aspiration, especially in clients with reduced consciousness level due to TBI.

C. Assess the ability to follow simple commands. Assessing the client's ability to follow simple commands provides valuable information about their level of consciousness and cognitive function. It helps determine the extent of neurological impairment and guides the plan of care, including interventions for communication and cognitive deficits.

D. Assess for Cushing's Triad. Cushing's Triad, characterized by hypertension, bradycardia, and irregular respirations, may occur as a late sign of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in clients with severe TBI. Monitoring for Cushing's Triad is crucial for early recognition of elevated ICP and prompt intervention to prevent further neurological damage.

E. Assess for abnormal posturing. Assessing for abnormal posturing, such as decerebrate or decorticate posturing, helps evaluate neurological function and localize brain injury in clients with TBI. Abnormal posturing indicates severe brain damage and may guide decisions regarding treatment and prognostication.

A) "Pentoxifylline can be administered to help the platelets from sticking together and occluding the vessels": Pentoxifylline is a medication used to improve blood flow by decreasing the viscosity of blood. However, it is not typically used to treat mitral valve stenosis. This statement does not accurately reflect treatment options for this condition.

B) "A heparin bolus is administered and followed with a continuous infusion to help keep the blood thinner": Heparin is an anticoagulant used to prevent blood clot formation, but it is not a treatment for mitral valve stenosis itself. While anticoagulants may be used in certain situations with mitral valve stenosis (such as in the setting of atrial fibrillation), they do not directly address the underlying valve narrowing.

C) "A flexible catheter will be inserted into a vessel of the arm, neck, or groin and advanced to the heart to dilate a narrowed or occluded artery": This statement describes a procedure known as percutaneous transluminal mitral valvuloplasty (PTMV), which is a minimally invasive intervention used to treat mitral valve stenosis. During this procedure, a catheter with a deflated balloon on its tip is inserted into a vessel and guided to the heart, where the balloon is inflated to widen the narrowed valve.

D) "A small catheter with a balloon on the end is threaded into a vessel in the groin and advanced to the heart where the balloon will be inflated, and the narrowed valve will be dilated": This statement accurately describes balloon valvuloplasty, which is a common procedure used to treat mitral valve stenosis. By inflating the balloon within the narrowed valve, the procedure aims to widen the valve opening, thus improving blood flow through the heart.