A nurse is caring for a client who is comatose and has advance directives that indicate the client does not want life-sustaining measures. The client's family wants the client to have life-sustaining measures. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Rationale:

A. Ham sandwich with milk: Ham is pork, which is strictly prohibited under kosher dietary laws. Additionally, meat and dairy cannot be consumed together in a kosher meal, making this choice doubly inappropriate for someone following kosher rules.

B. Shrimp salad and tomato soup with milk: Shellfish, including shrimp, are non-kosher because they lack fins and scales. Combining shrimp (non-kosher seafood) with dairy also violates kosher dietary principles, making this an unsuitable option.

C. Bacon and cheese quiche with milk: Bacon is pork and non-kosher, and mixing it with cheese violates the rule against combining meat and dairy. Even if the bacon were turkey-based, kosher observance would still require strict supervision and certification.

D. Scrambled eggs and toast with milk: Eggs, bread, and milk are all permissible under kosher law if prepared in accordance with kosher standards. This option avoids mixing meat and dairy and excludes non-kosher animals, making it suitable for a kosher diet.

Rationale for correct choices:

• Blood pressure: A reading of 148/94 mm Hg is elevated and meets criteria for gestational hypertension, especially in a client who is gravida 1 para 0. It raises concern for preeclampsia and must be closely monitored, particularly with concurrent symptoms like headache and edema.
• DTR: A deep tendon reflex of 3+ is considered hyperreflexic and may signal increased central nervous system irritability. In the setting of elevated blood pressure and other preeclampsia signs, it raises concern for worsening severity or impending seizure activity.
• Lower extremity assessment: The presence of 1+ dependent edema can be a normal pregnancy finding, but when paired with facial swelling, recent weight gain, and elevated blood pressure, it becomes significant and suggests fluid retention associated with preeclampsia.
• Weight assessment: A gain of 0.68 kg (1.5 lb) in a week may seem modest, but when it is sudden and combined with facial and dependent edema, it can indicate abnormal fluid accumulation. This pattern is concerning for preeclampsia and requires follow-up.
• Nausea: While nausea is common in pregnancy, its presence along with right upper quadrant pain and headache raises red flags for severe preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome. These are warning signs of potential hepatic involvement or worsening disease.

Rationale for incorrect choices:

• Fundal height: A fundal height of 29 cm is consistent with gestational age around 29 weeks and does not indicate an abnormal finding in this context. No follow-up is needed unless measurements are inconsistent with gestational dating.
• Respiratory assessment: The client’s lungs are clear to auscultation and respirations are even and non-labored. Oxygen saturation is 95% on room air, which is within normal range during pregnancy, so no respiratory issues require intervention.
• Fetal heart tracing: A fetal heart rate of 140/min is within the normal range of 110–160 beats per minute. There are no reported decelerations or signs of distress, so no immediate follow-up is indicated for the fetal tracing.