A nurse is assessing the coping strategies of a client who has recently retired.
Which of the following statements by the client indicates that the client is using compensation as a defense mechanism?

Choice A rationale:

Keeping an abduction pillow between the client's legs is a preventive measure to avoid dislocation of the hip prosthesis. This positioning helps maintain the correct alignment of the hip joint, reducing the risk of dislocation. Abduction pillows are commonly used postoperatively after total hip arthroplasty to support proper hip positioning while the patient is in bed.

Choice B rationale:

Elevating the client's affected leg on a pillow when in bed is not recommended after total hip arthroplasty. This position could lead to hip adduction, increasing the risk of prosthesis dislocation. Maintaining abduction (spreading the legs apart) is the key to preventing dislocation, and elevation should be avoided to maintain proper alignment.

Choice C rationale:

Positioning the client's knees slightly higher than the hips when up in a chair is not an appropriate preventive measure for prosthesis dislocation. Proper alignment is crucial, and the client should avoid sitting in low chairs or on low surfaces that could cause the hips to be lower than the knees, potentially leading to dislocation.

Choice D rationale:

Raising the head of the client's bed to a high-Fowler's position is unrelated to preventing prosthesis dislocation. Fowler's position refers to elevating the head of the bed to assist with breathing and facilitate patient comfort. While this position might be suitable for certain respiratory conditions, it has no direct impact on the stability of a hip prosthesis.

Choice A rationale:

Weight gain is a common side effect of many antipsychotic medications, including haloperidol. While it is important to monitor for this adverse effect, it is not specifically related to the extrapyramidal symptoms associated with haloperidol use.

Choice B rationale:

Dry mouth is a common anticholinergic side effect of antipsychotic medications like haloperidol. Although it is important to monitor for this adverse effect, it is not specifically related to the extrapyramidal symptoms, such as parkinsonism, associated with haloperidol use.

Choice C rationale:

This is the correct answer. Shuffling gait, or parkinsonism, is an extrapyramidal symptom associated with the use of antipsychotic medications like haloperidol. It is a movement disorder characterized by a shuffling walk, rigidity, and tremors. Recognizing and reporting this symptom promptly is crucial, as it may indicate the development of a serious neurological condition called tardive dyskinesia.

Choice D rationale:

Sedation is a common side effect of haloperidol and other antipsychotic medications. While it is important to monitor for sedation, it is not specifically related to the extrapyramidal symptoms associated with haloperidol use, as described in choice C.