A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving peritoneal dialysis. When caring for the client's dialysis catheter, which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?

Choice A rationale:
Notifying the surgeon of the temperature elevation is important, but it is not the nurse's priority. A temperature elevation after abdominal surgery could be a sign of infection, but the immediate action should be to assess the surgical incision for any signs of infection.
Choice B rationale:
Encouraging the client to drink more fluids is a good practice to maintain hydration and promote recovery after surgery. However, it is not the nurse's priority in this situation. The elevated temperature and potential infection take precedence over increasing fluid intake.
Choice C rationale:
This is the correct answer because the nurse's priority is to assess the surgical incision for signs of infection. An elevated temperature is a significant finding after surgery, and it may indicate a surgical site infection, which requires prompt assessment and intervention.
Choice D rationale:
Monitoring vital signs every 4 hours is an essential nursing intervention after surgery, but it is not the priority when the client has an elevated temperature and a recent surgical incision.
The nurse must first assess for signs of infection before proceeding with routine vital sign monitoring.

Choice A rationale:

Completely irrigating one eye before irrigating the second eye is the correct action to take when a client receives a chemical splash on their face. This approach helps prevent the potential spread of the chemical from one eye to the other. Irrigation should be done immediately to flush out the chemical and minimize its harmful effects.

Choice B rationale:

Informing the client to blink their eyes rapidly during the irrigation process is not recommended. Blinking may exacerbate the dispersion of the chemical and could lead to further damage to the eyes. Instead, the client should keep their eyes open during irrigation.

Choice C rationale:

Delaying the irrigation process until the type of chemical in the eyes is identified is not appropriate. Time is critical in minimizing the impact of the chemical on the eyes. Immediate irrigation is essential, regardless of the type of chemical, to remove the substance from the eyes.

Choice D rationale:

Asking the client to count the number of fingers held up by the nurse before irrigating their eyes is not relevant in this situation. The priority is to initiate immediate irrigation to remove the chemical from the eyes. Assessing the client's visual acuity can be done later in the evaluation process after the eyes have been irrigated.