A newly hired nurse is attending an in-service about fire safety. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first in the event of a fire?

A. Turning off the lights in the client's room at bedtime: Keeping the room well-lit at night can help prevent disorientation and reduce the risk of falls for clients with dementia. Turning off lights may increase confusion and make wandering more dangerous, so this is not an appropriate intervention.

B. Limiting the client's physical activity during the day: Reducing daytime activity can increase restlessness and nighttime wandering. Encouraging safe physical activity during the day helps expend energy and may improve sleep patterns, making limitation counterproductive.

C. Having the client wear incontinence briefs after dinner: While incontinence briefs can prevent accidents, they do not address the underlying cause of nighttime wandering and may contribute to agitation or discomfort if used inappropriately.

D. Labeling the client's bathroom door: Clear visual cues, such as labeled doors, help clients with dementia navigate their environment independently and safely. This intervention reduces confusion, supports orientation, and can decrease wandering behaviors.

A. Position the seat of the wheelchair at a right angle to the bed: Proper wheelchair positioning is important to facilitate a safe pivot transfer and reduce the distance the client must move. However, ensuring environmental safety by stabilizing equipment must occur before positioning. The wheelchair can be placed correctly after confirming both surfaces are secure.

B. Lock the wheels on the bed: Safety is the priority before initiating any transfer. Locking the wheels on the bed prevents unintended movement that could result in loss of balance or falls, particularly in a client with unilateral weakness. Stabilizing the bed establishes a secure foundation prior to assisting the client to sit or stand.

C. Have the client sit at the edge of the bed: Dangling at the bedside allows assessment for orthostatic hypotension and balance, but this step should occur only after ensuring the bed is secure. Assisting the client to sit before locking the wheels increases fall risk if the bed shifts.

D. Place a gait belt around the client's waist: A gait belt enhances stability and control during transfer, especially for a client with left-sided weakness. However, it is applied after environmental safety measures, such as locking the bed and wheelchair, are completed.