A nurse is assessing a client who has been taking sertraline for 2 weeks. The nurse should identify which of the following findings as an indication that the medication is effective?

Children can often be resistant to taking medication, but offering them choices and involving them in the process can help promote cooperation. Here's the rationale for each option:

A. Tell the child it is candy: This strategy involves deception and can lead to trust issues if the child discovers the truth. It's not ethical or recommended to lie to a child about medication.

B. Tell the child he will have to have a shot instead: Threatening the child with a shot is coercive and can cause fear and anxiety. It's not an appropriate or therapeutic approach to encourage cooperation.

C. Hide the medication in a large dish of ice cream: While hiding medication in food may work for some children, it's important to ensure that the child consumes the entire dose. Additionally, it's essential to check with the healthcare provider or pharmacist to confirm that the medication can be taken with food. However, this approach may not address the underlying issue of the child's resistance to taking medication.

D. Offer the child a choice of taking the medication with juice or water: Offering the child a choice empowers them and gives them some control over the situation. By allowing the child to choose how they take the medication, they may feel more comfortable and cooperative. This approach respects the child's autonomy and can be an effective way to encourage cooperation while ensuring the medication is taken as prescribed.

A. The client's blood pressure is within the expected reference range - While blood pressure monitoring is important during treatment with certain medications, such as antihypertensives, it is not a direct indicator of the effectiveness of sertraline, which is an antidepressant medication.

B. The client's legs are not swollen - Swelling of the legs may be a sign of fluid retention, which can occur with various conditions and medications. However, it is not a specific indicator of the effectiveness of sertraline.

C. The client reports a recent weight loss - Weight changes, including weight loss or gain, can occur as side effects of sertraline. However, weight changes alone do not necessarily indicate the effectiveness of the medication in treating depression.

D. The client reports an increase in mood - Improvement in mood, reduction in depressive symptoms, and overall sense of well-being are primary indicators of the effectiveness of sertraline and other antidepressant medications in treating depression. Therefore, the client reporting an increase in mood suggests that the medication may be effective in managing their symptoms.