A client with delusions tells the nurse, "You aren't doing your job.
Go get those people over there and shoot them before they get me." Which statement is the nurse's best response?

Choice A rationale:

Obtaining a urine specimen for analysis is an important step in the assessment of the client with renal calculi. However, it is not the most immediate intervention when the client is experiencing severe flank pain and hematuria. Pain management should take precedence.

Choice B rationale:

This is the correct answer. Severe flank pain in a client with renal calculi is indicative of renal colic, which is typically excruciating. Administering a prescribed opioid analgesic is the priority to relieve the client's pain and distress.

Choice C rationale:

Straining the urine for the presence of stones is an essential nursing intervention to identify and collect any passed stones. However, it is not the most immediate action when the client is in severe pain. Pain management is the priority.

Choice D rationale:

Preparing the client for a prescribed computed tomography (CT) scan is an important diagnostic step to assess the location and size of the renal calculi. However, it is not the most immediate intervention when the client is in severe pain and distress. Pain management should come first.

Choice A rationale:

A bedside commode is positioned near the bed. Positioning a bedside commode near the bed is appropriate for a client with heart failure and COPD who may have mobility issues or difficulty walking to the bathroom. It promotes safety and convenience for the client.

Choice B rationale:

A full pitcher of water is on the bedside table. While it's essential to keep clients with heart failure adequately hydrated, having a full pitcher of water within easy reach might encourage excessive fluid intake, which can exacerbate heart failure symptoms. However, this choice is not an immediate risk requiring intervention.

Choice C rationale:

The client is lying in a supine position in bed. A client with heart failure and COPD should not be lying in a supine position because it can exacerbate respiratory distress and increase the workload of the heart. This is an observation that requires immediate intervention, such as repositioning the client to an upright or semi-fowler's position.

Choice D rationale:

A saline lock is present in the right forearm. The presence of a saline lock is a standard precaution in a hospitalized client and does not require immediate intervention unless there are specific issues with it, such as signs of infection or dislodgement. It does not pose an immediate harm to the client.

Choice E rationale:

A low sodium diet tray was brought to the room. A low sodium diet is crucial for managing heart failure because excessive sodium intake can lead to fluid retention and exacerbate symptoms. Ensuring that the client follows the prescribed diet is essential for their well-being, and any deviations may require immediate intervention.