A nurse is caring for a client who has angina and reports a feeling of heaviness in the chest while ambulating in the hall. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Rationale for correct choices:

• Electrolyte imbalance: The client’s potassium level of 3.0 mEq/L is critically low, contributing to premature ventricular contractions and orthostatic hypotension. These abnormalities place the client at immediate risk for cardiac dysrhythmias and require urgent correction to prevent life-threatening complications.
• View of body: The client voices fear of gaining weight and fixates on food, which are indicators of distorted self-perception. This impaired view of the body is a central feature of bulimia nervosa and needs to be addressed during psychotherapy once the client is medically stabilized.

Rationale for incorrect choices:

• Impaired body image: While body image concerns are common in eating disorders, this option is more general. “View of body” better captures the client’s psychological distortion and allows for more precise therapeutic interventions that address the cognitive roots of the disorder.
• Impaired coping: The client engages in maladaptive coping strategies like bingeing and purging. However, these behaviors are secondary to deeper distortions in self-image and medical instability. Coping can be addressed later in the treatment process once safety is ensured.
• History of anxiety: Anxiety is part of the client's long-standing history but is not causing the immediate physical risk. Addressing acute electrolyte disturbances and body image distortion takes precedence over chronic anxiety in this clinical setting.
• Obsession with food: Although the client’s persistent thoughts about food are important, they are symptoms driven by distorted body perception. Treating the underlying belief system about body image is more foundational and effective in resolving food-related obsessions.

Rationale:

A. Contact the client's family to discuss the decision: While family members may be involved, the nurse must prioritize respecting the client’s autonomy. The client has expressed their wishes, and involving family without consent may violate confidentiality and autonomy.

B. Encourage the client to complete a final hemodialysis treatment: Pressuring or encouraging a client to undergo treatment they have refused especially when they have advance directives in place disregards their legal and ethical right to make decisions about their own care.

C. Discuss possible options for discharge with the client: Respecting the client’s decision and exploring care planning, such as hospice or palliative care services, is appropriate. This supports autonomy while ensuring comfort and dignity in the end-of-life process.

D. Discuss future treatment options with the client's health care surrogate: A surrogate decision-maker is only consulted when the client is unable to make decisions. In this case, the client is alert and capable, so the discussion should remain between the nurse and client.