A nurse is caring for a client who has hypoglycemia.
The nurse should monitor the client for which of the following adverse effects of hypoglycemia?

Choice A rationale:

Pedal pulses are a measure of peripheral circulation. A 2+ rating is considered normal, indicating a brisk, expected response. There’s no change in the client’s pedal pulses from Day 1 to Day 5, so this doesn’t require immediate follow-up.

Choice B rationale:

Oxygen saturation is not mentioned in the Nurses’ Notes, so we cannot provide a rationale for this choice.

Choice C rationale:

Breath sounds are an important indicator of respiratory health. The client’s breath sounds are clear and present throughout on both Day 1 and Day 5, which is normal and doesn’t require immediate follow-up.

Choice D rationale:

Respiratory rate is not mentioned in the Nurses’ Notes, but any significant change in respiratory rate could indicate a problem such as infection or pain, and would require immediate follow-up.

Choice E rationale:

The abdominal dressing shows a large amount of serosanguinous drainage on Day 5, compared to a small amount on Day 1. This could indicate a complication such as infection or dehiscence (separation of the wound), especially since the client reported feeling something “popped” at the incision site after coughing. This requires immediate follow-up.

Choice F rationale:

Heart rate is not mentioned in the Nurses’ Notes, but any significant change in heart rate could indicate a systemic response to factors such as pain or infection, and would require immediate follow-up. In summary, while pedal pulses and breath sounds remain normal, the change in the abdominal dressing and potential changes in respiratory rate and heart rate (though not documented here) should be addressed immediately to ensure the client’s health and recovery.

The correct answer is Choice D.

Choice A rationale: Documenting the event in the client’s progress notes is not the most appropriate action in this situation. The client’s progress notes should contain information about the client’s health status and care, not about staff behavior. Furthermore, documenting this incident in the client’s notes could potentially violate the client’s privacy if the notes are accessed by individuals who do not need to know about the incident.

Choice B rationale: Submitting an incident report to the risk manager is not the most appropriate action in this situation. Incident reports are typically used for events that have caused or have the potential to cause harm to a client, such as medication errors or falls. In this case, while the APs’ behavior is inappropriate, it has not caused harm to the client.

Choice C rationale: Informing the client of the APs’ actions is not the most appropriate action in this situation. Doing so could unnecessarily worry or upset the client. The nurse’s role is to advocate for the client and protect their privacy and dignity, which includes not sharing information about inappropriate staff behavior with the client.

Choice D rationale: Telling the APs to stop the conversation is the most appropriate action in this situation. The nurse has a professional responsibility to address inappropriate behavior by other healthcare team members. Discussing a client in a public area, such as the nurses’ station, is a breach of client confidentiality. The nurse should remind the APs of the importance of maintaining client confidentiality and direct them to stop the conversation.