A nurse is caring for a group of clients in a long-term care facility. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to prevent healthcare-associated infections for these clients? (Select all that apply.)

The correct answer is choice **d. Providing client information to another nurse at change of shift**.

Choice A rationale:

Sharing the client's prognosis with a family member without the client's consent violates the client's right to confidentiality. The nurse should only disclose information to family members if the client has provided permission or if it is necessary for the client's care.

Choice B rationale:

Discussing the client's status with a member of the spiritual support team may be appropriate if the client has consented to spiritual support and the nurse limits the discussion to information relevant to the spiritual care. However, disclosing the client's diagnosis or other sensitive information without the client's consent would still be a breach of confidentiality.

Choice C rationale:

Collaborating with a nurse from another unit about the client's care is appropriate if it is necessary for the client's treatment and if the discussion is limited to information relevant to the client's care. The nurse should ensure that the discussion takes place in a private setting and that no unauthorized individuals can overhear the conversation.

Choice D rationale:

Providing client information to another nurse at change of shift is necessary for the continuity of the client's care and is considered an appropriate disclosure within the healthcare team. The nurse should ensure that the discussion takes place in a private setting and that no unauthorized individuals can overhear the conversation.

The correct answer is choice D. The client has tenderness and warmth in their calf.

Choice A rationale:

The client's self-reported incisional pain level of 7 on a scale of 0 to 10 is important information to assess postoperative recovery, but it is not the priority finding to report among the choices. Pain management is crucial, but potential complications that could be more urgent should be addressed first.

Choice B rationale:

Increased nausea and chills are concerning postoperative findings, but they could be related to the body's response to surgery, anesthesia, or pain medications. While these symptoms should be monitored and managed, they are not as high-priority as potential complications involving the calf.

Choice C rationale:

An oral temperature of 38.5°C (101.3°F) indicates a fever and is also a concerning finding in the postoperative period. Infection could be a possible cause, and the provider should be informed. However, compared to tenderness and warmth in the calf, which could suggest deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the fever is of slightly lower priority.

Choice D rationale:

Tenderness and warmth in the calf are the priority findings to report. These symptoms raise concern about the possibility of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a serious complication after surgery. DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, commonly in the legs. If left untreated, it can lead to a pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening condition where the clot travels to the lungs. Immediate assessment and intervention are necessary to rule out or address this potentially critical complication.