A nurse is assessing a client who has advanced cirrhosis. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse expect to find?

Choice A: Notify the nurse manager. This is an important action that the nurse should take, but not a priority. The nurse should notify the nurse manager to report the error and seek guidance on how to proceed. The nurse manager can also provide support and feedback to the nurse and help prevent similar errors in the future.

Choice B: Give the client 15 to 20 g of carbohydrate. This is a necessary action that the nurse should take, but not the priority. The nurse should give the client 15 to 20 g of carbohydrates to raise their blood glucose level and prevent or treat hypoglycemia. The nurse should choose a fast-acting carbohydrate source, such as juice, glucose tablets, or candy.

Choice C: Complete an incident report. This is a required action that the nurse should take, but not the priority. The nurse should complete an incident report to document the error and its consequences. The incident report can help identify the root cause of the error and improve patient safety and quality of care.

Choice D: Check the client’s blood glucose level. This is the priority action that the nurse should identify according to the ABCDE principle, which prioritizes interventions based on airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure. The nurse should check the client’s blood glucose level to confirm the error and assess the risk of hypoglycemia, which is a low level of glucose in the blood. Hypoglycemia can cause symptoms such as sweating, trembling, confusion, and loss of consciousness. It can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

Choice A: Docusate. This is not a treatment that the nurse should expect to administer to a client with an acute exacerbation of ulcerative colitis. Docusate is a stool softener that can prevent constipation and straining, but it is not indicated for ulcerative colitis.

Choice B: A corticosteroid medication. This is a treatment that the nurse should expect to administer to a client with an acute exacerbation of ulcerative colitis, which is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes ulcers and inflammation in the colon and rectum. A corticosteroid medication, such as prednisone, can reduce inflammation, suppress the immune system, and relieve symptoms such as diarrhea, bleeding, and pain.

Choice C: Aspirin. This is not a treatment that the nurse should expect to administer to a client with an acute exacerbation of ulcerative colitis. Aspirin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that can relieve pain and inflammation, but it can also irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa and worsen ulcerative colitis.

Choice D: A bowel cathartic medication. This is not a treatment that the nurse should expect to administer to a client with an acute exacerbation of ulcerative colitis. A bowel cathartic medication, such as bisacodyl, can stimulate bowel movements and cleanse the colon, but it can also cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and aggravate ulcerative colitis.