Nursing staff on a hospital unit are reviewing rates of health care-associated infections (HAI) of the urinary tract. Which nursing action will be most helpful in decreasing the risk for urinary HAI in patients admitted to the hospital?

A. Dribbling of urine: Dribbling is a sign of bladder overdistention, which indicates the need for catheterization. In clients with paraplegia who lack normal bladder control, intermittent catheterization is performed to prevent retention, reduce infection risk, and protect renal function.

B. Rectal distention: Rectal distention is related to bowel function, not bladder emptying. While constipation is common in paraplegic clients, it does not indicate the need for urinary catheterization.

C. Weight gain: Weight gain can be associated with fluid retention, edema, or other systemic issues but does not directly indicate bladder fullness or the need for catheterization. It is not a reliable marker for urinary retention in this context.

D. Urge incontinence: Urge incontinence involves involuntary leakage associated with a sudden need to void. In paraplegia, neurologic impairment often prevents sensation of urgency, so urge incontinence is less relevant and not the best indicator for catheterization.

A. RBC: Chronic glomerulonephritis often leads to anemia because the damaged kidneys produce less erythropoietin, a hormone necessary for red blood cell production. A decrease in RBC count is therefore an expected finding in this condition.

B. Potassium: Potassium levels usually increase rather than decrease in chronic glomerulonephritis because of reduced kidney function and impaired excretion. Hyperkalemia is a common complication that requires close monitoring.

C. Phosphate: Phosphate levels tend to rise in chronic kidney disease since the kidneys cannot excrete phosphate efficiently. This leads to hyperphosphatemia, which contributes to bone mineral imbalances, not a decrease.

D. Creatinine: Creatinine levels increase in chronic glomerulonephritis because of impaired filtration and reduced clearance. Elevated serum creatinine is one of the key indicators of declining kidney function.