A nurse is caring for an older adult client who wears hearing aids with detachable ear molds.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take when caring for the hearing aids?

Choice A rationale:

Decreased platelets are not typically an indicator of infection. Platelet levels may decrease in conditions like thrombocytopenia, but they are not a specific indicator of infection.

Choice B rationale:

Increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is an indicator of infection. An elevated ESR is a nonspecific marker of inflammation in the body, which can be seen in response to infection, among other conditions.

Choice C rationale:

Decreased hemoglobin is not typically an indicator of infection. Hemoglobin levels may decrease in conditions like anemia, but they are not a specific indicator of infection.

Choice D rationale:

Increased iron levels are not typically an indicator of infection. Iron levels can vary for various reasons, but they are not a direct marker of infection.

Choice A rationale:

Decreased skin turgor. Decreased skin turgor is a sign of dehydration rather than fluid overload. In fluid overload, the body retains excess fluid, leading to symptoms like crackles in the lungs, edema, and increased blood pressure. Decreased skin turgor is more characteristic of dehydration, where the body loses fluid.

Choice B rationale:

Decreased blood pressure. Decreased blood pressure is not typically a manifestation of fluid overload. Fluid overload often leads to increased blood pressure as the heart has to work harder to pump excess fluid throughout the body.

Choice C rationale:

Weight loss. Weight loss is not a manifestation of fluid overload. In fact, fluid overload may lead to weight gain due to the retention of excess fluid in the body.

Choice D rationale:

Crackles heard in the lungs. Crackles heard in the lungs are a common manifestation of fluid overload. When there is an excessive accumulation of fluid in the lungs, it can interfere with the exchange of gases and cause crackling sounds during breathing. This is a significant clinical finding that indicates the need for intervention and assessment of fluid balance.