The nurse reviews the client's test results.

Exhibits

Complete the following sentence by using the list of options.

The nurse should wear

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and

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A chest x-ray is an essential diagnostic tool for evaluating a client with symptoms such as a productive cough, blood-tinged sputum, weight loss, night sweats, and a low-grade fever. These findings raise suspicion for tuberculosis (TB), particularly given the client’s recent travel to South Africa, where TB is more prevalent. A chest x-ray can help identify characteristic abnormalities such as upper lobe infiltrates, cavitations, or pleural effusions that are consistent with pulmonary TB.

A nasopharyngeal swab is primarily used to detect viral respiratory infections, such as influenza or COVID-19. While the client presents with a cough and fever, the chronic nature of symptoms and presence of hemoptysis make a viral infection less likely. Furthermore, viral infections typically present with acute onset symptoms rather than a prolonged illness with weight loss and night sweats.

Blood cultures are used to identify systemic bacterial infections, such as bacteremia or sepsis. Although the client has a fever, there are no indications of severe systemic infection, such as hypotension or signs of shock, making blood cultures a lower priority in this case.

A pulmonary function test evaluates lung function in conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The client has no history of these conditions, and their primary complaint involves symptoms suggestive of an infectious process rather than an obstructive pulmonary disease. Pulmonary function testing is not indicated for diagnosing TB or other respiratory infections.

A Mantoux test (tuberculin skin test) is a key diagnostic tool in assessing tuberculosis exposure. Given the client’s symptoms and travel history, this test helps determine prior exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the likelihood of latent or active infection. A positive test would support further diagnostic testing, such as sputum cultures, to confirm active TB disease.

A. "An incident report has been completed and sent to risk management." Incident reports are used for internal facility documentation and quality improvement but should not be mentioned in the medical record. Including this information could make the report discoverable in legal proceedings, which is why it should remain separate from the client’s medical documentation.
B. "The client fell because the assistive personnel did not place nonskid slippers on the client." This statement assigns blame without objective evidence and does not follow factual documentation principles. Medical records should include observable data, client statements, and assessments rather than subjective conclusions or assumptions about the cause of the fall.
C. "Client stated, 'I lost my balance and fell when I got out of bed to go to the bathroom.'" Including the client's direct statement ensures accurate, objective documentation. It provides firsthand information about the incident without making assumptions or assigning blame. Client statements should always be documented using quotation marks to maintain accuracy.
D. "The client does not appear to have any injuries resulting from the fall." This statement is subjective and may be misleading. A client could have internal injuries that are not immediately visible. Instead, the nurse should document a detailed physical assessment, such as "No visible injuries noted. Client denies pain or discomfort at this time."