A nurse is assisting in the care of a group of clients in the preoperative unit. Which of the following clients can give informed consent?

A. Encourage visits from family members: While family presence can help reduce anxiety and reorient clients with delirium, it is not the immediate first step. Before implementing supportive strategies, the nurse must first assess the client’s neurological status to determine the severity and possible cause of the delirium.

B. Administer an anxiolytic medication: Administering medications should not be the first action because delirium can be caused by multiple reversible factors. Sedating a client without identifying the underlying cause may worsen confusion or mask important symptoms that need immediate intervention.

C. Determine the client's level of consciousness: Assessing the client’s level of consciousness is the priority because it provides critical information about the severity of the delirium and helps guide immediate and appropriate interventions. Early assessment ensures that life-threatening conditions, such as hypoxia or sepsis, are not overlooked.

D. Keep lights on in the client's room: Maintaining a well-lit environment can help prevent disorientation, especially at night, but it is a secondary supportive measure. Assessment of mental status must occur first to prioritize safety and identify urgent medical needs.

A. "I have switched from tobacco cigarettes to electronic cigarettes.": Although electronic cigarettes may reduce exposure to certain harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke, they still pose significant health risks. This change does not reflect truly limiting risky behavior but rather substituting one form of risk for another.

B. "Sometimes I am exposed to toxic chemicals at my workplace, but not any that have harmed me.": Exposure to toxic chemicals, even without immediate harm, still represents ongoing risk. A proactive approach would involve using protective equipment or seeking safer work conditions.

C. "Two of my grandparents had diabetes, so I try to eat a healthy diet.": Actively modifying diet in response to a family health history shows a positive, preventative approach and reflects conscious efforts to limit risk-taking behaviors and promote long-term health.

D. "My job and home life are both very stressful, but I haven't been able to do anything about that.": Chronic unmanaged stress is a health risk, and acknowledging stress without taking steps to manage it indicates that the client is not effectively limiting risk behaviors.