An adult client is admitted with AIDS and oral candidiasis manifested by several painful mouth ulcers. The nurse delegates oral care to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) and discusses how to assist the client. Which instruction should the nurse provide the UAP?

Choice A reason: Sleeping flat supine is incorrect, as elevating the head post-cataract surgery prevents intraocular pressure spikes, which can disrupt the lens implant. Supine positioning risks fluid accumulation, potentially causing complications like hemorrhage, making this instruction inappropriate for recovery.

Choice B reason: Administering a stool softener is correct, as straining during bowel movements increases intraocular pressure, risking surgical site complications post-cataract extraction. Soft stools reduce Valsalva maneuver effects, protecting the lens implant and promoting healing, making this a key discharge instruction.

Choice C reason: Turning, coughing, and deep breathing prevent pulmonary complications in major surgeries, not cataract extraction, a minor procedure. These actions may increase intraocular pressure, risking implant displacement, making this instruction irrelevant and potentially harmful for eye surgery recovery.

Choice D reason: Observing pupil response of the right eye is irrelevant, as the surgery affects the left eye. Pupil response monitoring is not a standard post-cataract instruction, and patients cannot self-assess this, making it impractical and unrelated to surgical recovery needs.

Choice A reason: Observing body language and movement provides clues to pain but is subjective and incomplete. Clients may mask pain, and movements vary. Verbal description captures quality, like burning or stabbing, guiding specific interventions, making this approach less comprehensive for pain assessment.

Choice B reason: Asking the client to describe the pain is best, as it captures quality, location, and characteristics (e.g., sharp, dull), essential for diagnosing etiology and tailoring treatment. Subjective verbal input provides detailed data, aligning with pain management guidelines, making this the most effective approach.

Choice C reason: Identifying pain relief measures is part of management, not assessment. Understanding pain quality via description informs which measures are effective, and this step follows assessment, making it premature and less focused on capturing the pain’s nature.

Choice D reason: A numeric pain scale quantifies intensity but not quality, missing details like burning or throbbing, which guide diagnosis. Descriptive verbal input provides a fuller picture, making the scale useful but secondary to asking for a detailed pain description.