A nurse notices smoke coming from a client's room and discovers a fire in the wastebasket. After moving the client to safety, which of the following is the priority action?

• Endometritis – This uterine infection is one of the most common postpartum complications, especially following cesarean delivery and prolonged rupture of membranes. It often presents with foul-smelling lochia, uterine tenderness, and systemic signs of infection like fever and leukocytosis. This client’s presentation, including foul-smelling lochia and a WBC of 33,000/mm³, strongly supports this diagnosis.
• Mastitis – Typically associated with localized breast pain, redness, swelling, and systemic symptoms like fever. While the client has nipple discomfort and firm breasts, these are common postpartum findings during milk let-down and do not meet the criteria for mastitis, especially without signs of inflammation or localized breast infection.
• Pulmonary embolism – A PE generally presents with sudden-onset chest pain, dyspnea, tachypnea, and hypoxia. This client’s oxygen saturation is normal, lung sounds are clear, and there is no respiratory distress, making PE unlikely.
• Postpartum hemorrhage – Hemorrhage would present with excessive vaginal bleeding, hypotension, tachycardia, and possibly uterine atony. This client’s uterus is firm, lochia is moderate (not heavy), and vital signs are stable, so hemorrhage is not supported by the data.
• Lochia assessment – Foul-smelling lochia is a classic indicator of uterine infection. It points to endometritis when found with other risk factors like cesarean birth, prolonged labor, and signs of systemic inflammation.
• Elevated white blood cell count – A postpartum WBC count may be mildly elevated, but a level of 33,000/mm³ suggests infection. When combined with clinical symptoms like uterine tenderness and malodorous discharge, it supports a diagnosis of endometritis.
• Firm uterus at 1 cm above umbilicus – This finding is expected on postpartum day 3 and indicates normal uterine involution. A firm uterus rules out uterine atony and is not specific to infection or hemorrhage.
• Moderate nipple discomfort – Breast fullness and nipple tenderness are common in breastfeeding mothers, especially in the early postpartum period. This discomfort alone does not indicate mastitis or any systemic infection.

A. Screen the child's visitors for active infections. Neutropenia places the child at high risk for infection due to a severely weakened immune system. Screening visitors for signs of illness is essential to minimize exposure to infectious agents.
B. Prepare the child for a platelet transfusion. Platelet transfusions are used to treat thrombocytopenia, not neutropenia. While leukemia may cause both conditions, neutropenia specifically increases infection risk, not bleeding risk.
C. Monitor the child for indications of active bleeding. While bleeding is a concern in leukemia, it is more directly linked to low platelet levels. The priority intervention for neutropenia is infection prevention, not bleeding control.
D. Initiate a low-protein diet for the child. A low-protein diet is not appropriate for a child with leukemia. These children need adequate protein for healing, immune support, and maintaining strength during treatment.