A nurse working on a mental health unit is meeting with a client who has been on the unit for 2 days. The nurse greets the client and asks, "What has been happening with you today?" Which of the following therapeutic techniques is the nurse using?

Choice A:

An absent dorsal pedal pulse would indicate a vascular problem such as arterial occlusion, not a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In the case of DVT, blood flow in the veins is obstructed, but the arterial pulse, which is related to arterial circulation, should remain intact unless there is a separate arterial issue. Therefore, absent pulses are not characteristic of DVT.

Choice B:

Shiny, hairless skin is a sign typically associated with chronic arterial insufficiency, not DVT. This skin change occurs when there is poor arterial blood flow, which leads to a lack of nourishment for the skin, causing it to become thin and shiny. In contrast, DVT affects the veins and does not usually cause these skin changes in the acute phase.

Choice C:

Irregular, bulging veins are indicative of varicose veins or chronic venous insufficiency, not a DVT. Varicose veins occur when the veins become swollen and twisted due to weak or damaged valves. DVT, on the other hand, involves the formation of a clot in the deep veins and does not typically cause the veins to bulge visibly, especially in the early stages.

Choice D:

Dull, aching pain is a common symptom associated with deep vein thrombosis. This pain typically occurs in the affected extremity and is often described as a constant, aching sensation. The pain can worsen with movement or standing and is due to the inflammation and obstruction caused by the blood clot in the deep veins. This is a hallmark sign of DVT, along with swelling and redness in the affected limb.

The client has state-sponsored health insurance: While information about the client's health insurance coverage is important for billing and financial purposes, it may not be directly relevant to the discussion in an interprofessional team meeting unless it specifically impacts the client's access to healthcare resources or affects decision-making regarding their care plan.

The reason for including this information is that difficulty ambulating can impact the client's overall mobility and functional status. It can have implications for their ability to perform activities of daily living, increase the risk of falls, and require additional interventions or resources. By sharing this information with the interprofessional team, appropriate strategies and interventions can be discussed and implemented to address the client's mobility issues.

The client's next dressing change is scheduled in 4 hours: The timing of the client's dressing change may be important for nursing documentation and scheduling purposes. However, it may not be a significant focus of discussion in an interprofessional team meeting unless there are specific concerns or issues related to the dressing change that require collaboration and coordination among the healthcare team.

The client's vital signs are checked every 8 hours: The frequency of vital sign checks is an important aspect of nursing care and monitoring. However, unless there are specific concerns or deviations from normal vital signs that need to be discussed, it may not be the primary information to include in an interprofessional team meeting. The focus of the meeting is typically on broader aspects of the client's condition, care plan, and multidisciplinary interventions.