A nurse is collecting data from a client who is receiving hydromorphone for pain management. For which of the following findings should the nurse notify the provider?

A. Encourage visits from family members: While family presence can help reduce anxiety and reorient clients with delirium, it is not the immediate first step. Before implementing supportive strategies, the nurse must first assess the client’s neurological status to determine the severity and possible cause of the delirium.

B. Administer an anxiolytic medication: Administering medications should not be the first action because delirium can be caused by multiple reversible factors. Sedating a client without identifying the underlying cause may worsen confusion or mask important symptoms that need immediate intervention.

C. Determine the client's level of consciousness: Assessing the client’s level of consciousness is the priority because it provides critical information about the severity of the delirium and helps guide immediate and appropriate interventions. Early assessment ensures that life-threatening conditions, such as hypoxia or sepsis, are not overlooked.

D. Keep lights on in the client's room: Maintaining a well-lit environment can help prevent disorientation, especially at night, but it is a secondary supportive measure. Assessment of mental status must occur first to prioritize safety and identify urgent medical needs.

A. Temperature of 37.2° C (99.0° F): A temperature of 37.2° C is within the normal range and does not necessarily indicate infection. Mild temperature elevations are common in the immediate postoperative period due to inflammatory responses rather than infection, which typically presents with more significant fever.

B. Elevated WBC count: An elevated white blood cell (WBC) count is a classic and early indicator of infection. It reflects the body's immune response to a bacterial or viral invasion, and postoperative infections often present with leukocytosis, making it a key finding to monitor closely.

C. Pain rating of 4 on a scale of 0 to 10: Moderate pain is expected after surgery and does not, by itself, suggest infection. Postoperative pain should be assessed in context with other symptoms like redness, swelling, or drainage; pain alone, especially if stable, is not definitive for infection.

D. Increased urinary output: Increased urinary output is generally a positive sign of good kidney perfusion and hydration status. A decrease, not an increase, in urinary output would be more concerning postoperatively and could suggest complications, but not necessarily infection.