When caring for a client with full-thickness burns to both lower extremities, which assessment finding(s) warrant immediate intervention by the nurse? (Select all that apply.)

A.Correct- The nurse should provide the parents with the phone numbers and websites of local organizations that offer support and counseling for families who have experienced a traumatic event. The nurse should also encourage the parents to seek professional help if they feel overwhelmed, depressed, or anxious.

B.Correct- Educating the parents about pool safety is crucial to prevent future accidents. This information can include guidelines for supervision, barriers, and measures to prevent drowning incidents.

C.Incorrect- While it's important for parents to be aware of the seriousness of child neglect, including this information in pre-discharge education might not be the most appropriate time, especially if the child is showing only minor signs of impact from the incident. This could increase their guilt and distress and damage the therapeutic relationship. The nurse should focus on providing support and education, not judgment or punishment.

D.Correct- The nurse should advise the parents to schedule a follow-up visit with the child's pediatrician within a week of discharge. The nurse should explain that the pediatrician will monitor the child's recovery and check for any signs of complications, such as brain damage, infection, or lung injury.

F. Correct- Assessing the parent's coping skills can help identify if they are dealing with any emotional stress or trauma related to the incident. Providing appropriate support or referrals if needed can be beneficial.

The correct answer is Choice D

Choice A rationale: Splinting with a pillow may reduce discomfort during movement or coughing by stabilizing the incision site, but it does not address acute postoperative pain with sympathetic overdrive. The elevated heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure suggest a stress response mediated by catecholamines. Without analgesia, nociceptive signals continue to activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. While splinting is supportive, it lacks the pharmacologic efficacy needed to blunt nociceptive transmission at the spinal or supraspinal level.

Choice B rationale: Assessing IV patency is a procedural prerequisite for medication administration but not a therapeutic intervention in itself. It does not directly address the pathophysiology of acute pain or the sympathetic surge evidenced by tachycardia and hypertension. Pain activates ascending pathways via A-delta and C fibers, requiring pharmacologic blockade. IV access assessment is necessary but secondary to the urgent need for analgesia to prevent complications like hypoxia, hyperventilation, or delayed recovery.

Choice C rationale: High Fowler positioning may improve diaphragmatic excursion and reduce pulmonary complications, but it does not mitigate visceral or incisional pain. In fact, increased intra-abdominal pressure from upright posture may exacerbate pain at the surgical site. Pain perception involves central sensitization and peripheral nociceptor activation, which are unaffected by positioning. The client’s pale skin and elevated vitals indicate systemic distress requiring analgesic intervention, not postural adjustment. Thus, this choice lacks direct analgesic benefit.

Choice D rationale: IV analgesics act rapidly to inhibit nociceptive transmission at the spinal cord and brainstem levels. Opioids bind to mu receptors, reducing neurotransmitter release and hyperpolarizing neurons, thereby dampening pain signals. This intervention directly targets the physiologic cause of elevated heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. Normal heart rate is 60–100 bpm, respiratory rate 12–20 breaths/min, and BP <120/80 mmHg. Prompt analgesia prevents complications like hypoxia, delayed healing, and neuroendocrine stress