A home health nurse is caring for a child who has Lyme disease. Which of the following is an appropriate action for the nurse to take?

Advance directives are legal documents that allow a person to express their wishes for medical care in case they become incapacitated or unable to communicate. They do not require a lawyer or a notary to be valid, as long as they follow the state laws and are signed by the person and two witnesses.

Choice A is wrong because it implies that legal representation is necessary for advance directives, which is not true.

A social worker can help the client with other resources or support, but not with finding a lawyer for this purpose.

Choice C is wrong because it suggests that advance directives can be verbal, which is not true. Advance directives must be written and signed to be legally binding.

Verbal agreements may not be honored or remembered by the provider or the family.

Choice D is wrong because it implies that advance directives need legal review, which is not true. Advance directives are personal decisions that do not need to be approved by a lawyer or a court.

Legal review may be helpful in some cases, but it is not mandatory or essential.

This is an example of a therapeutic communication technique that validates the client’s feelings and encourages them to express their emotions verbally rather than physically.
It also shows empathy and respect for the client’s perspective.
Choice A is wrong because engaging the panic alarm is not the first action to take when interacting with an agitated client.
The nurse should first try to calm the client down by using verbal and nonverbal communication skills, such as maintaining eye contact, speaking in a calm and clear voice, and avoiding sudden movements or gestures.
Engaging the panic alarm should be done only if the client becomes violent or poses a threat to themselves or others.
Choice B is wrong because using a face shield with a mask when providing care to the client is not relevant to the situation.
This is personal protective equipment (PPE) that is used to prevent exposure to infectious agents or body fluids, not to manage agitation.
Using a face shield with a mask may also increase the client’s anxiety or paranoia, as they may perceive it as a sign of hostility or fear.
Choice D is wrong because initiating the seclusion protocol is not appropriate for a client who is agitated, pacing, and speaking loudly.
Seclusion is a restrictive intervention that involves isolating the client in a locked room to prevent harm to themselves or others.
It should be used only as a last resort when less restrictive measures have failed or are contraindicated, and only with a provider’s order and close monitoring.
Secluding an agitated client may escalate their behavior and violate their rights.
Normal ranges for agitation are not applicable, as agitation is not a quantifiable parameter.
However, some tools that can be used to assess agitation include the Richmond Agitation- Sedation Scale (RASS), which ranges from -5 (unarousable) to +4 (combative), and the Agitated Behavior Scale (ABS), which ranges from 14 (no agitation) to 56 (severe agitation).