A nurse is caring for a client 1 day postoperative who has developed atelectasis. Which of the following manifestations is an expected finding for this condition?

A) The client should try to take in all of the required dietary fiber with the morning meal:
While it's beneficial for clients to consume dietary fiber with meals to promote regular bowel movements, focusing solely on the morning meal may not provide adequate fiber intake throughout the day. It's essential for clients with chronic constipation to maintain a consistent intake of dietary fiber with each meal and snack.

B) The client should drink two to three 8 oz glasses of water each day:
Hydration is important for overall bowel health, but simply drinking water may not be sufficient to alleviate chronic constipation. While increasing fluid intake can help soften stools and prevent constipation, the amount of water needed varies among individuals. It's important for clients to drink enough fluids throughout the day to maintain hydration and support gastrointestinal function.

C) The client should follow a high-fiber diet to establish bowel regularity:
This is the correct answer. Increasing dietary fiber intake is a cornerstone of managing chronic constipation. A high-fiber diet can help add bulk to stools, improve bowel motility, and establish regularity. The nurse should educate the client about incorporating fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes into their daily diet to promote optimal bowel function.

D) The client should be taught that the goal of therapy is to have a bowel movement daily:
While having a daily bowel movement may be a reasonable goal for some individuals, it's not universally applicable to all clients with chronic constipation. Bowel habits vary among individuals, and the frequency of bowel movements needed to establish regularity depends on factors such as diet, activity level, and overall health. The focus of therapy should be on achieving comfortable and regular bowel movements rather than a specific frequency.

We are given the following information:

Medication: Ticarcillin/clavulanate 3.1 g

Administration route: Intermittent IV bolus over 30 minutes

Available solution: Ticarcillin/clavulanate 3.1 g in 50 mL 0.9% sodium chloride (NSS)

However, the IV pump controls the rate of delivery over time (usually in hours). An intermittent bolus means the medication is infused all at once over a shorter period (30 minutes in this case).

The pump rate calculation here focuses on the total volume of the available solution containing the medication to be delivered, not necessarily on the medication amount itself.

Therefore, we need to find the rate at which the total volume of 50 mL solution should be delivered over 30 minutes.

Conversion is necessary because pump rates are typically set in hours (hr).

Time (hours) = 30 minutes / 60 minutes/hour = 0.5 hours

Now, calculate the flow rate:

Flow rate (mL/hr) = Total volume (mL) / Infusion time (hours)

Flow rate (mL/hr) = 50 mL / 0.5 hours = 100 mL/hr

Round to the nearest whole number as requested.

Therefore, the nurse should set the pump to deliver approximately 100 mL/hr. This ensures the total 50 mL solution containing the 3.1 g of ticarcillin/clavulanate is delivered over the intended 30-minute period.