A client has undergone surgery for the creation of burr holes after sustaining head trauma from a fall and is at risk for developing an infection. An early critical manifestation of meningeal irritation for which the nurse assesses the client is :

Choice A reason : Encouraging avoidance of anxiety-increasing situations may seem beneficial, but it can reinforce OCD behaviors. Avoidance prevents the client from learning how to cope with anxiety and can limit their ability to participate in daily activities⁴.

Choice B reason : Investigating what situations precipitate anxiety is a crucial step in managing OCD. Understanding the specific triggers can help in developing strategies to cope with and eventually reduce the anxiety associated with these situations. This approach is aligned with cognitive-behavioral therapy principles, which are effective in treating OCD⁴⁵.

Choice C reason : Teaching the client that compulsive behavior is excessive is part of psychoeducation. However, simply telling a client that their behavior is excessive without providing coping mechanisms can be unhelpful and may increase their anxiety. It's important to combine this with therapeutic techniques that help the client manage their compulsions⁴.

Choice D reason : Preventing the client from performing compulsive behavior abruptly can cause significant distress and may not be feasible or safe. Instead, treatment usually involves gradual exposure to anxiety-provoking situations and learning to resist the urge to perform compulsions, a technique known as exposure and response prevention (ERP)⁴.

Choice A reason : Anticoagulants are medications that prevent blood clots. They are not typically used to manage fluid volume excess in left-sided heart failure. Instead, they may be used if the patient has an increased risk of clotting due to reduced mobility or atrial fibrillation, which can be associated with heart failure⁵.

Choice B reason : Antiembolism stockings are used to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and are not directly related to the management of fluid volume excess. They may be used in heart failure patients to prevent DVT due to reduced mobility but do not aid in fluid reduction⁵.

Choice C reason : Oxygen therapy can be used in left-sided heart failure to alleviate symptoms of dyspnea due to pulmonary congestion. However, it does not directly reduce fluid volume excess. It is a supportive treatment to ensure adequate oxygenation⁵.

Choice D reason : Diuretics are the primary treatment for reducing fluid volume excess in left-sided heart failure. They work by increasing urine output, which helps to reduce the volume of fluid in the body and alleviate symptoms such as pulmonary edema and peripheral edema⁵.