A home care nurse is making a follow-up visit with a client who has COPD and is using a compressed oxygen system in his home.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

The correct answers are Choices A and C.

Choice A rationale: Severe hypertension in pregnancy disrupts placental perfusion and vascular integrity, increasing risk of placental abruption due to premature separation and hemorrhage, threatening both maternal and fetal outcomes.

Choice B rationale: Cervical insufficiency is linked to structural weakness or trauma, not hypertension; it typically presents with painless dilation and is unrelated to elevated blood pressure or vascular compromise.

Choice C rationale: Hypertensive encephalopathy and preeclampsia can progress to eclampsia, marked by seizures. Elevated BP increases cerebral edema and excitability, triggering convulsions if unmanaged.

Choice D rationale: Hypoglycemia is not a direct consequence of hypertension; it’s more associated with insulin dysregulation, poor intake, or medication effects, not elevated blood pressure.

Choice E rationale: Heart failure may occur in chronic hypertension but is less acute than seizure or abruption risk in this context. No signs of fluid overload or cardiac decompensation are present in the vitals.

Choice A rationale:

"Since I retired, I have entered many gardening competitions." This statement indicates compensation as a defense mechanism. Compensation involves emphasizing personal strengths in one area to shift focus from failure or weakness in another. In this case, the client is finding fulfillment and recognition in gardening competitions after retiring, compensating for the loss of work-related identity.

Choice B rationale:

Expressing relief about retirement due to negative work experiences doesn’t necessarily indicate compensation. It could be a coping mechanism, but it doesn't align with the compensation defense mechanism, which involves overachieving in one area to compensate for deficiencies in another.

Choice C rationale:

Choice D rationale:

Journaling about career accomplishments after layoffs indicates sublimation, not compensation. Sublimation is a defense mechanism where unacceptable impulses or behaviors are transformed into socially acceptable actions or pursuits, like channeling frustration or disappointment into creative or productive activities such as journaling.