The health care provider orders a trough level of an antibiotic administered every twenty four hours.
When should the nurse plan for a trough level to be drawn?

Ask the client to describe the discomfort. This is the best action to establish a nursing diagnosis of pain related to an abdominal incision because it allows the nurse to assess the location, intensity, quality, and duration of the pain, as well as any factors that aggravate or relieve it.

This information can help the nurse to plan appropriate interventions and evaluate their effectiveness.

Choice A. Continue to observe the client is wrong because it does not address the client’s pain or communicate empathy. The nurse should not ignore or minimize the client’s pain, but rather acknowledge it and offer assistance.

Choice C. Encourage the client to progressively relax all muscle groups is wrong because it is a nonpharmacological intervention that may help to reduce pain, but it does not establish a nursing diagnosis of pain. The nurse should first assess the client’s pain before implementing any interventions.

Choice D. Administer the prescribed analgesic and document the client’s response is wrong because it is a pharmacological intervention that may help to relieve pain, but it does not establish a nursing diagnosis of pain. The nurse should first assess the client’s pain before administering any medications.

A client who has been NPO for four days is most at risk to develop skin breakdown. This is because being NPO (nothing by mouth) can lead

to malnutrition and dehydration, which are both risk factors for bedsores. Malnutrition can impair the skin’s ability to heal and resist infection, while dehydration can make the skin dry and fragile.

Choice A is wrong because applying powder after drying the skin can help prevent moisture and friction, which are also risk factors for bedsores.

Choice C is wrong because bathing twice a week may not be frequent enough to keep the skin clean and free of irritants, which can also contribute to bedsores.

Choice D is wrong because hypertension (high blood pressure) does not directly cause bedsores, although it may be associated with other conditions that affect blood circulation and tissue oxygenation.