A nurse is collecting data on a client who has a heart rate of 44/min.
Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Choice A rationale:

Using a firm-bristled toothbrush can increase the risk of gum injury or bleeding, especially in individuals with pernicious anemia who may have fragile gums due to vitamin B12 deficiency. This choice is correct because it identifies a risk factor for injury.

Choice B rationale:

Prescribing vitamin B12 intramuscularly (IM) is the appropriate treatment for pernicious anemia and does not increase the client's risk of injury. It is essential for addressing the underlying deficiency.

Choice C rationale:

Prescribing epoetin intravenously (IV) is used to stimulate the production of red blood cells and treat anemia, but it is not typically associated with an increased risk of injury. However, it should be administered as ordered by the healthcare provider.

Choice D rationale:

Sleeping 8 to 10 hours per night is beneficial for overall health and well-being. It does not increase the client's risk of injury. In fact, adequate sleep can help with tissue repair and overall recovery.

The correct answer is: a. Displacement.

Choice A Reason: Displacement is a defense mechanism where a person redirects a negative emotion from its original source to a less threatening recipient. In the context of bipolar disorder, a client may displace anger or frustration about their condition or treatment onto the nurse, who is not the source of these feelings. This redirection can occur because the client might feel powerless or uncomfortable expressing these emotions towards their healthcare provider, who is the authority figure prescribing medication changes.

Choice B Reason: Splitting is often associated with borderline personality disorder rather than bipolar disorder. It involves viewing things in extremes—either all good or all bad—with no middle ground. While individuals with bipolar disorder can exhibit black-and-white thinking, especially during mood episodes, the behavior described does not indicate splitting, as it does not involve idealizing or devaluing the nurse or provider.

Choice C Reason: Sublimation is a mature defense mechanism where socially unacceptable impulses or idealizations are unconsciously transformed into socially acceptable actions or behavior, often resulting in a long-term conversion of the initial impulse. For example, a person with aggressive tendencies might take up a sport that channels aggression in a socially acceptable way. The scenario provided does not suggest that the client is channeling their frustrations into a constructive activity.

Choice D Reason: Conversion involves the transfer of mental stress into physical symptoms. This defense mechanism is characteristic of conversion disorder, where psychological stress manifests as neurological symptoms like blindness, paralysis, or other sensory or motor symptoms without a medical cause. The client yelling at the nurse does not reflect a conversion of emotional distress into physical symptoms.