A nurse is contributing to the plan of care for a client who is experiencing delirium. Which of the following interventions should the nurse recommend?

• Assist the client with a bath: The client is independently transferring out of bed and ambulating in the hallway. Since they are managing personal mobility well, there is no immediate need for assistance with bathing, and this does not address the client’s most pressing issues.

• Encourage oral fluid intake: The client is experiencing hard, painful bowel movements and abdominal cramping, which are signs of constipation. Increased oral fluid intake can help soften stool and promote more regular bowel movements, making this a supportive and appropriate intervention.

• Irrigate indwelling catheter with 500 mL of fluid: The client is voiding 100 mL/hr of pink urine, which is a normal finding in the early postoperative period and does not suggest catheter obstruction. Therefore, irrigation is not indicated and could introduce infection unnecessarily.

• Administer an enema: The client reports painful, incomplete bowel elimination and abdominal cramping, which may indicate constipation or fecal impaction. Administering an enema is an appropriate intervention to relieve discomfort and promote bowel evacuation.

• Encourage prolonged dangling before ambulation: The client is already ambulating independently in the hallway, indicating they are tolerating activity well. There is no evidence of orthostatic intolerance, so prolonged dangling is not necessary.

Hyperkalemia refers to an elevated level of potassium in the blood. It can have various manifestations, and one of the critical effects of hyperkalemia is its impact on cardiac function. High levels of potassium can disrupt the normal electrical conduction in the heart, leading to arrhythmias or irregular heart rate. These arrhythmias can range from mild palpitations to more severe and life-threatening conditions like ventricular fibrillation.

Dry mucous membranes are more commonly associated with dehydration or reduced fluid intake. Hyperkalemia does not directly cause dry mucous membranes.

Trousseau's sign is a clinical manifestation of hypocalcemia, not hyperkalemia. It is characterized by carpal spasms induced by inflating a blood pressure cuff above the client's systolic blood pressure for a few minutes.

Hyperactive reflexes are commonly seen in conditions such as hyperthyroidism or certain neurologic disorders. They are not directly related to hyperkalemia.