A nurse is assessing a client who has heart failure. The client has moist lung sounds, bounding pulse, increased blood pressure, and pitting peripheral edema. Which of the following is the nurse's priority intervention?

Rationale:

A. A client who has dementia and is incontinent of urine: This client has multiple contributing factors, cognitive impairment limits repositioning and self-care, while urinary incontinence increases skin moisture and maceration, promoting skin breakdown and pressure injury formation.

B. A client who is 2 days postoperative following orthopedic surgery: Although this client may have limited mobility, they are typically on a monitored recovery path with interventions like repositioning, early ambulation, and pain management, reducing their overall risk.

C. A client who has a T-tube following an open cholecystectomy: This client is generally alert, mobile with assistance, and able to communicate needs, which lowers their risk of pressure injury compared to more dependent individuals.

D. A client who has had a recent myocardial infarction: This client may be monitored in bed rest initially, but cardiovascular stability and mobility often improve quickly with treatment, making their pressure injury risk moderate rather than the highest among the group.

Rationale:

A. Administer Ibuprofen 200 mg PO: The child reports a pain score of 5/10 and is requesting pain medication. The provider has prescribed ibuprofen PRN for this level of pain. Prompt administration supports comfort and reduces inflammation associated with fracture and swelling.

B. Elevate the affected forearm with pillows: Elevation helps reduce edema by promoting venous return and lymphatic drainage. Given the child's worsening edema in the forearm and fingers, this is a priority to minimize complications like compartment syndrome.

C. Place a nonadherent dressing on the right knee abrasion: Although dressing the abrasion is a reasonable intervention, it is not a priority at this stage. The abrasion is not actively bleeding or infected, so attention should remain on managing neurovascular risk and pain.

D. Review cast care instructions with the child's parents: This is an important educational step, but it is not a current priority since the cast has not yet been applied. Priority actions should focus on pain, swelling, and circulation while awaiting casting.

E. Apply ice packs to the fingers and along the right forearm: Ice helps manage pain and inflammation by vasoconstriction, limiting fluid accumulation in tissues. Applying it early post-injury is crucial to controlling swelling in a fractured limb.

F. Explain the cast application procedure to the child: Preparing the child for a future procedure is helpful but not immediately necessary. At this point, pain control and reduction of swelling take precedence to prevent complications and stabilize the injury.