A nurse is caring for a client who has a spinal cord injury. Which of the following support devices should the nurse plan to use to prevent plantar flexion contractures?

A. Screen the child's visitors for active infections. Neutropenia places the child at high risk for infection due to a severely weakened immune system. Screening visitors for signs of illness is essential to minimize exposure to infectious agents.
B. Prepare the child for a platelet transfusion. Platelet transfusions are used to treat thrombocytopenia, not neutropenia. While leukemia may cause both conditions, neutropenia specifically increases infection risk, not bleeding risk.
C. Monitor the child for indications of active bleeding. While bleeding is a concern in leukemia, it is more directly linked to low platelet levels. The priority intervention for neutropenia is infection prevention, not bleeding control.
D. Initiate a low-protein diet for the child. A low-protein diet is not appropriate for a child with leukemia. These children need adequate protein for healing, immune support, and maintaining strength during treatment.

A. The stoma appears dark purple in color. This is a priority finding, as it may indicate impaired circulation or necrosis of the stoma tissue. A healthy stoma should appear pink or red and moist. A dark purple or black color requires immediate evaluation.
B. The colostomy has had no output. While it is important to monitor output, it is not unusual for a new colostomy to have minimal or no output in the first 24–48 hours post-op as bowel function returns.
C. The client refuses to look at the colostomy. This is a psychosocial concern and may indicate body image issues or denial, but it is not the most urgent issue in the immediate postoperative period.
D. The client reports a pain level of 6 on a scale from 0 to 10. Pain management is important, but a pain level of 6, while needing intervention, does not take priority over a potential vascular compromise of the stoma.