A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a client who has a closed head injury. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

The correct answer is choice A. “I can give you information about respite care if you are interested.” Respite care is a service that provides short-term inpatient care for terminally-ill patients at a professional care facility, such as a hospital, hospice inpatient care facility, or nursing home. It is meant to relieve caregiver stress and offer them rest and time away from caregiving duties. Respite care is covered by Medicare for up to five consecutive days and no more than one respite period in a single billing period.

The nurse should offer this option to the son who is experiencing sleep deprivation due to caring for his mother.

Choice B is wrong because it suggests that the son should rely on medication to cope with his situation, which may not be appropriate or effective.

Sleeping pills may have side effects or interactions with other drugs, and they do not address the underlying cause of the son’s stress and fatigue.

Choice C is wrong because it does not acknowledge the son’s need for support or assistance.

It may sound like an empty compliment or a dismissal of the son’s concerns.

The nurse should express empathy and compassion, but also provide information and resources that can help the son.

Choice D is wrong because it does not offer any solution or guidance to the son.

It may also sound like a cliché or a generalization that does not reflect the son’s unique experience.

The nurse should avoid making assumptions or judgments about the son’s feelings or situation, and instead focus on his needs and preferences.

The correct answer is choice D. Place a wedge under one of the client’s hips. This is because placing a wedge under one of the hips can help prevent compression of the inferior vena cava by the uterus, which can compromise placental blood flow and cause fetal hypoxia. Placing a wedge under the hip can also help reduce the risk of maternal hypotension, which can also affect fetal oxygenation.

Choice A is wrong because inserting a pillow under the client’s knees can increase the risk of thromboembolism, which is a potential complication of cesarean birth.

Choice B is wrong because positioning the client in reverse Trendelenburg can increase the risk of maternal aspiration, which is another potential complication of cesarean birth.

Choice C is wrong because assisting the client into the lithotomy position can also compress the inferior vena cava and reduce placental blood flow. The lithotomy position is also not necessary for cesarean birth, as the baby is delivered through an incision in the abdomen and uterus.