A 22-year-old female client is brought to the emergency department by her mother after the client became dizzy and fell. The mother says that the client has been away at college and is home for winter break. The client's mother is greatly concerned because while her daughter has always been thin and athletic, she has never seen her so skinny and emaciated. The client responds by telling her mother, "That is not true. You keep trying to force food down my throat even though it is obvious that I have so much weight to lose!"

Exhibits

The client is resting in bed and cooperative with her mother at her bedside.

Complete the diagram by dragging from the choices below to specify what condition the client is most likely experiencing, 2 actions the nurse should take to address that condition, and 2 parameters the nurse should monitor to assess the client's progress.

Step 1: Observe breathing patterns. Respiratory depression is a critical symptom of myxedema coma that requires immediate attention.

Step 2: Measure body temperature. Hypothermia is a common symptom of myxedema coma and can provide important information about the severity of the patient’s condition.

Step 3: Assess blood pressure. Hypotension can occur in myxedema coma and can indicate the severity of the patient’s condition.

Step 4: Palpate for pedal edema. While this can be a symptom of hypothyroidism, it is not typically a primary concern in a patient showing signs of myxedema coma.

Choice A rationale

Determining the amount of weight the patient has lost since increasing activity is relevant to the patient’s overall health and progress toward weight loss goals, but it does not directly address the issue of sleep difficulties. Weight loss and improved sleep may not always have a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

Choice B rationale

Inquiring about the patient’s exercise schedule is a reasonable action. It allows the nurse to gather information about the patient’s exercise routine and assess whether it might be contributing to the sleep difficulties. For instance, exercising too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep. Therefore, understanding the timing and intensity of the patient’s exercise can provide valuable insights into potential adjustments that could improve sleep quality.

Choice C rationale

Informing the patient that lifestyle changes often take several weeks to be effective is a general statement that might not address the specific concerns of the patient. While it’s true that lifestyle changes, including exercise, can take time to show results, this does not provide a targeted solution to the patient’s reported difficulty in falling asleep.

Choice D rationale

Encouraging the patient to exercise daily to reduce bedtime wakefulness is not appropriate advice in this scenario. It oversimplifies the issue and may not address the underlying causes of the patient’s sleep difficulties. Additionally, excessive exercise close to bedtime may actually interfere with sleep.