When caring for a postpartum client, the nurse notes that the client's perineal pad is saturated with bright red blood.
What is the priority to ask the client?

Choice A rationale

Interviewing the client privately ensures confidentiality and allows for honest disclosure of the situation without fear of intimidation or manipulation by accompanying individuals. This approach is critical in identifying domestic abuse victims and initiating proper interventions.

Choice B rationale

A calm, caring, and professional demeanor fosters trust and reduces the client’s anxiety or fear. It ensures the nurse-patient relationship is non-threatening, encouraging the teen to open up about her experiences and facilitating accurate assessment and care.

Choice C rationale

Assessing whether the teen feels safe helps identify her immediate risks and the presence of a potential threat. Recognizing unsafe living conditions enables the nurse to involve appropriate protective and social services to ensure the client’s safety.

Choice D rationale

Contacting the police should be done only with the client’s consent unless mandated by law. Immediate police involvement without consent may jeopardize the client’s trust in the healthcare system and compromise her willingness to seek help in the future.

Choice A rationale

Postpartum depression is more likely in individuals with a history of depression due to predisposing factors such as neurochemical imbalances and psychosocial stressors. Pregnancy and childbirth exacerbate these vulnerabilities through hormonal fluctuations, sleep deprivation, and new parenting stress. Early identification of at-risk populations is critical to prevent severe outcomes and promote maternal mental health.

Choice B rationale

Psychotic behavior is not a common feature of postpartum depression. It is more characteristic of postpartum psychosis, a rare and severe condition that requires immediate intervention. Postpartum depression primarily manifests as feelings of sadness, anxiety, and difficulty bonding with the infant, rather than psychotic symptoms like delusions or hallucinations.

Choice C rationale

Harming the infant is not the most common manifestation of postpartum depression. While intrusive thoughts may occur, the condition primarily presents with emotional symptoms such as hopelessness, guilt, and fatigue. Focused therapy can address these feelings and help prevent rare but severe outcomes involving harm.

Choice D rationale

Postpartum depression typically develops within 1–4 weeks after delivery, with symptoms often emerging gradually. The claim that it begins within 48 hours is inaccurate and more representative of the "baby blues," a transient and less severe condition. Accurate diagnosis involves monitoring symptom progression over time. .