A nurse is assisting with the care of a client who is 1 day postoperative following a thyroidectomy and reports severe muscle spasms of the lower extremities. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Choice A: Determine the client’s calcium level. This is the priority action for the nurse to take because the client might have hypocalcemia, which is a low level of calcium in the blood. Hypocalcemia can occur after a thyroidectomy due to accidental removal or damage of the parathyroid glands, which regulate calcium levels. Hypocalcemia can cause muscle spasms, tetany, paresthesia, and seizures.

Choice B: Give the client an oral potassium supplement. This is not an appropriate action for the nurse to take because the client might have hyperkalemia, which is a high level of potassium in the blood. Hyperkalemia can also occur after a thyroidectomy due to damage to the adrenal glands, which regulate potassium levels. Hyperkalemia can cause muscle weakness, arrhythmias, and cardiac arrest.

Choice C: Administer intravenous normal saline solution. This is not a necessary action for the nurse to take because the client does not have signs of dehydration or fluid imbalance. Normal saline solution does not affect calcium or potassium levels.

Choice D: Monitor the client’s peripheral pulses. This is an important action for the nurse to take, but not the priority. The nurse should monitor the client’s peripheral pulses for signs of decreased perfusion or ischemia, which can result from hypocalcemia or hyperkalemia affecting the cardiac function. However, this should be done after determining the client’s calcium level and correcting it if needed.

Choice A: Peri-umbilical area. This is not an area that the nurse should inspect to monitor for the presence of jaundice in a client who is African American and has cholecystitis. The peri-umbilical area is the area around the navel, which is part of the skin. The skin can show jaundice, but it may be difficult to detect in clients with dark skin tones.

Choice B: Nail beds. This is not an area that the nurse should inspect to monitor for the presence of jaundice in a client who is African American and has cholecystitis. The nail beds are part of the skin that can show jaundice, but they may also be affected by other factors such as anemia, cyanosis, or nail polish.

Choice C: Webbed areas of the fingers. This is not an area that the nurse should inspect to monitor for the presence of jaundice in a client who is African American and has cholecystitis. The webbed areas of the fingers are part of the skin that can show jaundice, but they may also be influenced by other factors such as temperature, circulation, or pressure.

Choice D: Hard palate. This is an area that the nurse should inspect to monitor for the presence of jaundice in a client who is African American and has cholecystitis, which is an inflammation of the gallbladder. Jaundice is a yellowish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes due to elevated bilirubin levels in the blood. Bilirubin is a pigment that is produced from the breakdown of red blood cells and is normally excreted in bile. If the gallbladder or bile ducts are inflamed or obstructed, bile cannot flow into the duodenum and bilirubin accumulates in the blood and tissues. The hard palate is a part of the oral mucosa that can show jaundice, especially in clients with dark skin tones.