A nurse in a clinic is caring for an adolescent client who is at 24 weeks of gestation and showing signs of preeclampsia. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Rationale:

A. Client's chief complaint: Hearing voices is an auditory hallucination, which is a hallmark positive symptom of schizophrenia. Hallucinations reflect a distortion of reality and are typically responsive to antipsychotic treatment.

B. Client's job performance history: Poor job performance reflects functional decline, which is a negative symptom (e.g., avolition or anhedonia), not a positive one. It indicates loss of normal function rather than distortion.

C. Client's relationships with family and friends: Social withdrawal is another negative symptom, reflecting a lack of interest or emotional engagement. Positive symptoms are additions to normal experience, not losses like this.

D. Client's copying nurses' words: Repeating others’ words is known as echolalia, a disorganized thought manifestation commonly seen in schizophrenia. It indicates impaired cognitive processing and communication.

E. Client's statement about their mother: The delusional belief that their mother is trying to kill them represents a paranoid delusion, a classic positive symptom. Such fixed false beliefs are unrelated to reality and resistant to logic.

F. Client's speech pattern: Unclear, jumbled, and disorganized speech reflects disorganized thinking, another positive symptom of schizophrenia. This makes coherent communication and goal-directed behavior difficult.

Rationale for Correct Choices:

• Right forearm and fingers are edematous: Swelling of the forearm and fingers can indicate a possible fracture or soft tissue injury with vascular compromise. Edema in a closed injury raises concern for compartment syndrome, especially when accompanied by other neurovascular changes.
• Ecchymotic area on outer aspect of forearm: A single bruise near the site of injury is expected after trauma and not alarming by itself. However, the chils is presenting with other multiple injuries, thus need for further assessment.
• Child reports a mild "tingling" sensation: Paresthesia can signal early nerve compression or involvement, which may progress if not addressed. Combined with swelling and coolness, this finding suggests a risk of compartment syndrome.
• Pain level of 4/10: Although moderate, a pain level of 4 in a child presenting with multiple injuries warrants further investigations.
• Multiple areas of bruising in various stages of healing: Bruising at different stages of healing raises concern for non-accidental trauma (child abuse). This pattern is inconsistent with a single fall and warrants immediate follow-up under child protection protocols.

Rationale for Incorrect Choices

• Radial pulse +2: A normal radial pulse suggests adequate arterial blood flow to the extremity. Although useful, this does not exclude compartment syndrome and is not an urgent finding on its own.
• Respirations easy and unlabored and stable vital signs: These are all normal findings that indicate no immediate respiratory, gastrointestinal, or hemodynamic distress. They do not warrant urgent intervention at this time.
• Vital signs: Temperature, blood pressure, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation are all within normal for the child’s age and support physiologic stability, hence no evidence of immediate systemic compromise.