A nurse is checking for paradoxical blood pressure on a client who has constrictive pericarditis. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Choice A reason: Applying lotion to the skin around the edges of the splint may increase moisture and friction, which can contribute to skin breakdown. It is better to use protective dressings to reduce friction.

Choice B reason: Turning the client every 4 hours is not frequent enough. Clients in skeletal traction should be repositioned frequently, typically every 2 hours, to prevent pressure ulcers and maintain skin integrity.

Choice C reason: The correct answer is c because padding the top of the splint with protective dressings helps reduce friction and pressure on the skin, preventing skin breakdown and ensuring the client's comfort.

Choice D reason: Applying a footplate to the bed is not directly related to preventing skin breakdown. The primary focus should be on reducing friction and pressure around the splint.

Choice A reason: An apical pulse rate different than the radial pulse rate is known as a pulse deficit, which can indicate atrial fibrillation or other cardiac arrhythmias, but it is not related to paradoxical blood pressure or constrictive pericarditis.

Choice B reason: An increase in heart rate by 20% when standing is indicative of orthostatic hypotension, not paradoxical blood pressure. This condition involves a drop in blood pressure upon standing, leading to a compensatory increase in heart rate.

Choice C reason: A drop in systolic BP by 20 mm Hg when moving from a lying to a sitting position is another indicator of orthostatic hypotension, not paradoxical blood pressure.

Choice D reason: The correct answer is d because a drop in systolic BP of more than 10 mm Hg on inspiration, known as pulsus paradoxus, is a characteristic finding in constrictive pericarditis. This occurs due to the impaired filling of the heart during inspiration, leading to a significant drop in systolic blood pressure.