A nurse is caring for a client who is to undergo a subtotal thyroidectomy. Which of the following items should the nurse place at the client’s bedside?

Rationale:

A. "Your child should have surgery in 7 to 10 days to remove the tumor.": Surgical removal of the tumor is a priority and is usually scheduled promptly after diagnosis, not delayed by a week or more. Early intervention reduces the risk of tumor rupture or metastasis.

B. "You should not palpate your child's abdomen prior to surgery.": Avoiding abdominal palpation is crucial because Wilms’ tumors are highly vascular and encapsulated. Palpation could cause rupture, leading to tumor cell spread into the peritoneal cavity and increasing the risk of metastasis.

C. "You should give your child captopril 200 mg PO daily.": Captopril is not a standard medication in the treatment of Wilms’ tumor. It is an antihypertensive that may be used if the child has associated hypertension, but the dosage listed is excessive for pediatric use and should not be prescribed without specific indications.

D. "Your child will not require further treatment after removal of the tumor.": Most children require additional therapy, such as chemotherapy and/or radiation, depending on tumor staging. Surgical removal alone is rarely curative, particularly in advanced or bilateral cases.

Rationale:

A. Nystagmus: Nystagmus is characterized by involuntary eye movements and is typically associated with vestibular disorders, multiple sclerosis, or congenital conditions. It is not a symptom of macular degeneration, which primarily affects the retina.

B. Astigmatism: Astigmatism is a refractive error due to an irregularly shaped cornea or lens. It is unrelated to macular degeneration, which involves degeneration of the macula—the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision.

C. Loss of central vision: Macular degeneration leads to progressive deterioration of the macula, resulting in blurred or complete loss of central vision while peripheral vision remains intact. This is a hallmark symptom and significantly affects activities like reading and recognizing faces.

D. Client reports sharp pain: Macular degeneration does not typically cause pain. It is a painless condition, and the presence of sharp eye pain may suggest another acute ocular issue such as glaucoma or injury, not related to macular changes.