A nurse is caring for a client who has bacterial vaginosis. Which of the following medications should the nurse expect the provider to prescribe?

Rationale:
A. Assess pressure points every 24 hr: Skin assessment should be performed at least every shift or more frequently in high-risk clients. Waiting 24 hours between assessments increases the risk of progression from erythema to ulceration due to unrelieved pressure.

B. Turn and reposition the client every 3 hr while in bed: Clients at risk for pressure injuries should be repositioned at least every 2 hours in bed to promote circulation and reduce tissue ischemia. Extending this interval to 3 hours is inadequate for prevention or healing.

C. Teach the client to shift his weight every 15 min while sitting: Teaching the client to perform weight shifts every 15 minutes reduces pressure on the ischial areas, promoting blood flow and preventing further skin breakdown. This intervention empowers self-care and is a key preventive strategy for wheelchair-bound clients.

D. Place the client upright on a donut-shaped cushion: Donut cushions can impair circulation around the pressure site by concentrating pressure on surrounding tissue, worsening ischemia and tissue damage. Pressure-redistribution cushions or gel pads are safer alternatives.

Rationale for Correct Choices:

• Serotonin syndrome: The client’s symptoms recent SSRI dose increase indicate possible serotonin toxicity. Serotonin syndrome occurs when excessive serotonin accumulates in the body, typically following dose escalation or interaction between serotonergic medications. It is a medical emergency that can progress to seizures or death if not promptly identified and treated.

• Adverse effects of paroxetine: The increase in paroxetine dosage one week prior likely triggered excessive serotonergic activity. Paroxetine, an SSRI, elevates serotonin levels, and dose escalation can precipitate serotonin syndrome.

Rationale for Incorrect Choices:

• Generalized anxiety disorder: Although the client has a history of anxiety, the acute onset of fever, disorientation, and autonomic instability points to a physiological reaction rather than worsening anxiety. Anxiety may cause restlessness but does not produce hyperthermia or confusion.

• Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: This condition is associated with antipsychotic drugs, not SSRIs like paroxetine. While both syndromes can present with fever and altered mental status, the client’s medication profile and timing support serotonin toxicity instead.

• Feelings of hopelessness: Although ongoing hopelessness is part of the client’s depression, it does not explain the acute physical manifestations. Emotional symptoms may persist with depression, but fever and disorientation indicate a pharmacologic rather than psychological cause.

• Anxiety: Anxiety alone cannot account for the client’s fever, disorientation, or abdominal pain. These findings suggest a systemic reaction consistent with serotonin excess, not a purely psychological state.