A nurse is caring for a client who has acute glomerulonephritis.

Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Choice A rationale: Calling in additional staff is typically a function of the nursing supervisor or the hospital’s incident command center, rather than the responsibility of a single medical-surgical unit nurse.

Choice B rationale: Acting as a media liaison is the role of the Public Information Officer. Nurses must maintain patient confidentiality and follow the established chain of command during a mass casualty event.

Choice C rationale: Determining the needs of incoming clients (triage) is performed by emergency department staff or designated triage officers at the scene, not by nurses working on a medical-surgical inpatient unit.

Choice D rationale: To create bed capacity for incoming disaster victims, the medical-surgical nurse identifies stable clients who can safely be discharged or transferred, recommending these specific individuals to the healthcare provider.

The correct answer is choice A. Instruct the client to avoid coughing during the procedure.

A thoracentesis is a procedure that involves inserting a needle into the pleural space to remove excess fluid or air. Coughing can increase the risk of pneumothorax (collapsed lung) or bleeding during the procedure.

Choice B is wrong because the client does not need to be NPO (nothing by mouth) for 6 hr prior to the procedure. There is no risk of aspiration during a thoracentesis.

Choice C is wrong because the client should be positioned on the unaffected side for 4 hr following the procedure. This allows the affected lung to re-expand and prevents fluid from accumulating in the pleural space again.

Choice D is wrong because the client should not be placed in the prone position during the procedure. The prone position makes it difficult to access the pleural space and can compromise breathing.