A nurse is caring for a client who is scheduled for a surgical procedure and states, "I don't want to have this surgery anymore." Which of the following responses should the nurse make?

A. A client who has epidural analgesia and weakness in the lower extremities: Lower extremity weakness can be a side effect of epidural analgesia. While it requires monitoring, it is typically not immediately life-threatening unless accompanied by other neurological changes.

B. A client who has diabetes mellitus and an HbA1c of 7.2%: An HbA1c of 7.2% indicates slightly above-target blood glucose control. This is a chronic management concern and does not require immediate intervention.

C. A client who has sinus arrhythmia and is receiving cardiac monitoring: Sinus arrhythmia is often a benign, expected finding, particularly in children or young adults. Continuous monitoring is appropriate, but it is not an emergent concern.

D. A client who has a hip fracture and a new onset of tachypnea: New-onset tachypnea in a client with a hip fracture can indicate a serious complication such as pulmonary embolism or fat embolism syndrome. This requires immediate assessment and intervention.

Rationale:

A. The child believes the person will return: Preschoolers view death as temporary and reversible due to their developmental stage and limited understanding of permanence. Magical thinking often leads them to expect the deceased person to come back.

B. The child focuses on his own mortality: This is more typical of older school-age children or adolescents, who have a more developed understanding of death’s permanence and may begin to consider their own vulnerability.

C. The child refuses to talk about the death: Avoidance can occur at any age, but it is not the primary expected response in preschoolers. At this stage, they may ask repetitive questions or make statements that suggest misunderstanding, rather than complete refusal to talk.

D. The child expresses curiosity about the death process: Curiosity about death’s physical aspects is more common in school-age children, who have greater cognitive ability to think concretely about biological processes.