In providing discharge teaching to a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which instruction is most important for the nurse to emphasize?

Positive health promotion activities include inquiring about blood pressure, asking questions about self-care, executing pull-ups on a trapeze bar, and turning side to side.

Negative health promotion activities include requesting the nurse to perform wound care and avoiding looking at the residual limb.

Rationale

POSITIVE:

Inquires about blood pressure:

Inquiring about blood pressure shows awareness of cardiovascular health, which is important for individuals with peripheral vascular disease. Monitoring blood pressure regularly can help prevent complications and manage hypertension, a common comorbidity in peripheral vascular disease.

Asks questions about self-care:

Asking questions about self-care indicates engagement in the management of one's health post- amputation. Understanding self-care tasks, such as wound care, prosthetic use, and rehabilitation exercises, is crucial for optimal recovery and adjustment to life after amputation. Executes pull-ups on trapeze bar:

Engaging in physical activity, such as pull-ups on a trapeze bar, demonstrates motivation for rehabilitation and adaptation to life after amputation. Strengthening exercises can improve overall physical function and assist in adjusting to mobility with a prosthetic limb.

Turns side to side:

Turning side to side suggests mobility and activity post-amputation. Movement and repositioning are important for preventing complications such as pressure ulcers and promoting circulation in individuals with peripheral vascular disease.

NEGATIVE

Requests nurse to perform wound care:

Negative: While it's understandable for a client to initially require assistance with wound care post-amputation, relying solely on the nurse to perform wound care may indicate a lack of engagement in self-management and may hinder the client's transition to independence in managing their health post-amputation.

Avoids looking at residual limb:

Negative: Avoiding looking at the residual limb may indicate psychological distress or difficulty accepting the amputation. It's important for individuals post-amputation to gradually become comfortable with their changed body image and to address any psychological challenges through counseling or support groups.

B. Comparing the client's pain scale rating with the prescribed dosing ensures that the nurse selects the appropriate medication and dosage based on the severity of the client's pain. This action helps ensure safe and effective pain management by matching the intensity of the client's pain with the appropriate analgesic medication and dose.
A. Although this may be relevant in some situations, particularly if the client's pain requires rapid relief, the nurse should prioritize selecting the medication and dose based on the severity of the client's pain rather than solely on the onset of action.
C. The process does not address the immediate need to select the appropriate analgesic medication for the client's pain.
D. This may not be appropriate, especially if the client is in pain or unable to make an informed decision about which medication to choose.