A nurse is caring for a client who requires airborne precautions. The nurse is preparing to leave the client's room following a dressing change. Which of the following pieces of personal protective equipment should the nurse remove first?

A. "Tell me more about your partner.":

While understanding the client's feelings about their partner is important, the immediate concern is the client's statement expressing a desire to die. Therefore, focusing on the client's thoughts about self-harm (Option B) takes precedence in ensuring their safety.

B. "Have you thought about harming yourself?":

This response is appropriate because it directly addresses the client's statement expressing a desire to die. It opens a dialogue about the client's thoughts and intentions related to self-harm, allowing the nurse to assess the client's risk and initiate appropriate interventions.

C. "Why did you stop taking your medication?":

While understanding the reasons behind medication non-compliance is important, the immediate concern is the client's current statement indicating suicidal ideation. Exploring the client's medication adherence can be addressed after addressing the acute safety concern.

D. "You should discuss these feelings with your provider.":

This response might be seen as avoiding the client's immediate expression of distress. It is important for the nurse to directly assess the client's risk and initiate appropriate interventions rather than deferring the responsibility to another healthcare provider at this moment.

A. Administer an antiemetic:

Administering an antiemetic might be necessary to relieve nausea and vomiting, but it is not the first action. Before administering medications, it is essential to assess the client's condition and gather information about the underlying cause of the symptoms.

B. Offer pain medication:

Offering pain medication is not the first action. The nurse needs to assess the client's condition, determine the cause of the pain, and gather more information before administering pain relief. Administering pain medication before a thorough assessment can mask important clinical signs and symptoms.

C. Palpate the abdomen:

Palpating the abdomen is an important step in the assessment, but it should follow auscultation of bowel sounds. Palpation can be deferred if there is concern about possible inflammation (as in suspected appendicitis) to avoid causing further irritation.

D. Auscultate bowel sounds:

This is the correct action. Auscultating bowel sounds is the first step in assessing the gastrointestinal (GI) function. The reported symptoms of right lower quadrant pain, nausea, and vomiting could be indicative of various GI issues, such as appendicitis. Assessing bowel sounds helps the nurse gather information about the status of peristalsis and potential obstructions.