A home health nurse is caring for a client who has Alzheimer's disease.
The client's son is concerned about his mother becoming frustrated.
Which of the following interventions should the nurse include?

The correct answers are C and D.

Choice A reason: Preferred bath time is a personal preference and comfort-related aspect of patient care. While it is important for overall patient satisfaction and care planning, it is not critical information for a change-of-shift report following a total knee arthroscopy. The focus in such reports is typically on clinical status, immediate care needs, and potential complications.

Choice B reason: Admission vital signs are the initial measurements taken upon the patient’s admission to the healthcare facility. These are baseline values that can be referenced later to note any significant changes. However, for a change-of-shift report, especially 2 days postoperative, the most current vital signs and any changes since surgery are more pertinent than the admission values.

Choice C reason: The time of the last pain medication is crucial information for a change-of-shift report. Pain management is a key aspect of postoperative care, particularly after procedures like total knee arthroscopy. Knowing when the last dose was administered helps the incoming nurse manage the patient’s pain effectively and anticipate when the next dose is due.

Choice D reason: The steps required for dressing change are essential to include in the change-of-shift report. Proper wound care and dressing changes are vital to prevent infection and ensure proper healing after surgery. Detailed instructions on the dressing change process help maintain consistency in care between different caregivers.

Choice A rationale:

Identification is a defense mechanism where an individual associates themselves with another person or group. It does not apply to the situation described in the question.

Choice B rationale:

Reaction formation involves expressing the opposite of one's true feelings or desires. It is not the most suitable defense mechanism for the situation where the adolescent blames the teacher for their failure.

Choice C rationale:

Regression refers to reverting to an earlier stage of development in response to stress or conflict. It does not align with the adolescent's statement about their teacher disliking athletes.

Choice D rationale:

Rationalization is the defense mechanism in which a person provides logical or socially acceptable reasons for their behavior, even if these reasons are not accurate. In this case, the adolescent is rationalizing their poor performance by blaming the teacher's bias against athletes. This choice best fits the situation described.