A nurse is collecting data from a client who is taking warfarin and has an elevated PT/INR. Which of the following medications should the nurse anticipate administering?

A. The client should not sit upright in a chair for prolonged periods (such as 4 hours at a time) immediately following spinal fusion, as this could place excessive strain on the surgical site. The client should be assisted to sit upright for short periods and be repositioned regularly.

B. Clear drainage on the spinal dressing could indicate cerebrospinal fluid leakage, which is a concern following spinal surgery. The nurse should expect minimal to no drainage, and if clear fluid is observed, it should be reported immediately.

C. Elevating the client's legs when lying on his side may not be necessary unless specifically ordered by the healthcare provider. In general, the client should maintain proper body alignment and avoid any positions that strain the surgical site.

D. Log rolling is a critical intervention for spinal fusion patients to prevent twisting of the spine. The nurse should assist the client in log rolling every 2 hours to maintain spinal alignment and prevent injury to the surgical site.

A. Weakness in the lower body is not an accurate description of paraplegia. Paraplegia refers to the loss of function, not just weakness.

B. Paraplegia refers to the loss of motor and sensory function in the lower body, including the legs, due to a spinal cord injury, typically below the level of the injury. This is the most accurate response.

C. Temporary loss of motor and sensory functions is more characteristic of conditions like spinal shock, not paraplegia. Paraplegia refers to permanent impairment following spinal cord injury.

D. The description of loss of movement from the neck down is characteristic of quadriplegia (or tetraplegia), not paraplegia, which specifically involves the lower body.