A nurse is collecting data from a client who is experiencing ketoacidosis. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse expect to find?

A. Explain the rounding schedule to the client: While explaining the rounding schedule helps reassure the client that frequent checks will occur, it does not immediately address safety needs. Immediate actions to reduce fall risk are prioritized before providing routine information.

B. Tell the client about the visiting hours: Informing the client about visiting hours is part of general orientation but is not critical to preventing falls. Safety interventions must be implemented first to minimize risk of injury as soon as possible upon admission.

C. Review meal options with the client: Discussing meal options is part of admission and planning for nutrition, but it is not an urgent action to ensure the client's immediate safety, particularly when there is a known risk for falls.

D. Place the call light within reach of the client: Ensuring the call light is within reach allows the client to easily request assistance before attempting to move independently. This simple action is a high-priority intervention to prevent falls and promote immediate client safety.

• request a prescription for an increase in statin medication: Although the client's total cholesterol is elevated at 230 mg/dL, adjusting lipid management is not the immediate priority during an acute chest pain episode. The immediate focus should be stabilizing airway, breathing, and circulation.
• prepare the client for cardiac catheterization: Cardiac catheterization may ultimately be needed to assess coronary artery blockages, but before this, the client must be stabilized with oxygen and medications to control chest pain and improve oxygenation.
• administer oxygen at 2 L/min via nasal cannula: The client’s oxygen saturation dropped to 92% on room air, which is low for someone experiencing chest pain and possible myocardial ischemia. Administering supplemental oxygen improves myocardial oxygen supply and reduces cardiac workload, addressing airway and breathing priorities.
• check a STAT cardiac troponin: The client’s initial troponin level was normal, but troponin can take several hours to rise after myocardial injury. While monitoring serial troponins is important, managing oxygenation and chest pain relief takes precedence right now.
• administer sublingual nitroglycerin: After ensuring oxygenation, sublingual nitroglycerin should be administered to relieve chest pain by dilating coronary arteries and decreasing myocardial oxygen demand. It helps reduce ischemia and may prevent further cardiac injury.
• request a prescription for a beta-blocker: Beta-blockers help control heart rate and blood pressure but are not the immediate first-line response for active chest pain and oxygen desaturation. Oxygen and nitroglycerin must be prioritized first to address the acute ischemic event.