Which term is best for the nurse to use to describe replacement of ciliated columnar cells to stratified squamous epithelial cells in the bronchi that were diagnosed in a client?

Choice A reason: "Are you experiencing any nausea at this time?" is not the highest priority question because it is a common side effect of anesthesia, which is usually given during a thyroidectomy. Nausea is not a life-threatening complication, and it usually resolves within a few days after surgery.

Choice B reason: "Have you noticed any decrease in muscle weakness?" is not the highest priority question because it is a sign of improvement in the client's condition. A subtotal thyroidectomy is a surgical procedure that removes part of the thyroid gland, which is responsible for producing hormones that regulate the metabolism, growth, and development of the body. A client who has a thyroidectomy may have hypothyroidism, which is a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones, causing symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, and muscle weakness. A decrease in muscle weakness indicates that the client is responding well to the hormone replacement therapy, which is usually given after a thyroidectomy.

Choice C reason: "Do you have any numbness or tingling of your hands?" is the highest priority question because it is a sign of a possible complication of a thyroidectomy, which is hypocalcemia. Hypocalcemia is a condition where the blood has a low level of calcium, which is an electrolyte that helps regulate the nerve and muscle function, including the heart. A thyroidectomy can cause hypocalcemia if the parathyroid glands, which are small glands that are located behind the thyroid gland and produce a hormone that regulates the calcium level in the blood, are accidentally damaged or removed during the surgery. Hypocalcemia can cause symptoms such as numbness and tingling of the hands, feet, and lips, muscle spasms, seizures, and cardiac arrhythmias, which can be fatal if not treated promptly.

Choice D reason: "Do you have any breathing difficulties while walking?" is not the highest priority question because it is a sign of a possible complication of a thyroidectomy, which is tracheal compression. Tracheal compression is a condition where the trachea, which is the airway that connects the mouth and nose to the lungs, is squeezed or narrowed by the swelling or bleeding of the tissues around the thyroid gland. Tracheal compression can cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing, hoarseness, stridor, and cyanosis, which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. However, tracheal compression is more likely to occur immediately after surgery, not 48 hours later.

Choice A reason: Glomerulonephritis is an inflammation of the glomeruli, the filtering units of the kidneys. It can cause damage to the renal tissue and lead to intrinsic acute kidney injury, not prerenal acute kidney injury.

Choice B reason: Fluid volume deficit is a condition in which the body loses more fluid than it takes in. It can cause hypovolemia, which reduces the blood flow to the kidneys and impairs their function. This is the most common cause of prerenal acute kidney injury, which is a result of decreased perfusion to the kidneys.

Choice C reason: Neurogenic bladder is a dysfunction of the bladder caused by a nerve problem. It can affect the ability to store or empty urine. It can cause urinary retention, which increases the pressure in the urinary tract and damages the kidneys. This is a type of postrenal acute kidney injury, which is a result of obstruction to the urine outflow.

Choice D reason: Renal calculus is a solid mass formed from crystals in the urine. It can block the ureter, the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder. It can cause hydronephrosis, which is a swelling of the kidney due to accumulation of urine. This is another type of postrenal acute kidney injury.