A nurse is assessing a client who is taking haloperidol and is experiencing pseudoparkinsonism.

Which of the following findings should the nurse document as a manifestation of pseudoparkinsonism?

The correct answer is choice A. The nurse should compare new prescriptions with the list of medications the client reports. This is part of the medication reconciliation process, which is done to avoid medication errors such as omissions, duplications, dosing errors, or drug interactions. It should be done at every transition of care in which new medications are ordered or existing orders are rewritten.

Choice B is wrong because the nurse should not encourage the client to make his own list after he returns to his home. The nurse should provide the client with an updated and accurate list of medications before discharge and instruct the client to keep it with him at all times.

Choice C is wrong because the nurse should not include any adverse effects of the medications the client might develop. The nurse should include any known allergies or adverse reactions the client has experienced in the past, but not potential adverse effects that have not occurred.

Choice D is wrong because the nurse should not exclude nutritional supplements from the list of medications the client reports. The nurse should include all prescription medications, herbals, vitamins, nutritional supplements, over-the-counter drugs, vaccines, diagnostic and contrast agents, radioactive medications, parenteral nutrition, blood derivatives, and intravenous solutions in the medication reconciliation process.

Some of these products may interact with prescribed medications or affect laboratory results.

The correct answer is A. Increase dietary calcium. Prednisone is a corticosteroid medication that can cause bone loss (osteoporosis) by reducing the absorption of calcium and increasing the excretion of calcium in the urine. Therefore, patients taking prednisone should increase their intake of calcium-rich foods or supplements to prevent bone loss and fractures.

Choice B is wrong because prednisone can cause weight gain, not weight loss, by increasing appetite and fluid retention. Patients taking prednisone should monitor their weight and limit their salt and calorie intake.

Choice C is wrong because prednisone should not be taken on an empty stomach, as it can cause stomach irritation, ulcers, or bleeding. Patients taking prednisone should take it with food or milk to protect their stomach.

Choice D is wrong because prednisone should not be scheduled at bedtime, as it can cause insomnia or difficulty sleeping. Patients taking prednisone should take it in the morning or early afternoon to avoid disrupting their sleep cycle.