A nurse is preparing to assess fetal heart tones for a client who is at 12 weeks of gestation.

Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

The correct answer is choice B. Using an electronic messaging system to remind clients when to take medications. Tertiary prevention in healthcare involves measures taken to reduce the impact of an ongoing illness or injury that has lasting effects. This is done by helping people manage long-term, often-complex health problems and injuries in order to improve as much as possible their ability to function, their quality of life, and their life expectancy. In the context of an HIV clinic, reminding clients to take their medications can help manage the disease effectively and prevent complications.

Choice A rationale:

Educating clients about contraindications to specific immunizations is incorrect because this is more aligned with primary prevention, which aims to prevent the onset of an illness or injury before the disease process begins.

Choice C rationale:

Providing clients with information about the benefits of exercise is incorrect as this is generally considered a part of primary prevention, promoting general health to prevent various diseases.

Choice D rationale:

Helping clients understand health screenings covered by their insurance plans is incorrect because this is typically associated with secondary prevention, which involves screening to identify diseases in the earliest stages.

The correct answer is choice C: “Do you have thoughts of harming yourself?”.

This is the priority question for the nurse to ask the client because it assesses the client’s risk for suicide, which is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of conduct disorder. The nurse should use a direct and nonjudgmental approach when asking about suicidal ideation and plan.

Choice A: “How do you get along with your peers at school?” is wrong because it is not the most urgent question to ask the client.

While it is important to assess the client’s social relationships and possible peer rejection, this can be done after addressing the client’s safety and mental status.

Choice B: “Do you have a criminal record?” is wrong because it is not relevant to the client’s current condition and might make the client feel defensive or stigmatized.

The nurse should avoid asking questions that imply blame or judgment and focus on the client’s strengths and coping skills.

Choice D: “How do you manage your behavior?” is wrong because it is not appropriate for the nurse to ask the client in an emergency department setting.

This question might imply that the client is responsible for their conduct disorder, which is a complex and multifactorial mental health condition. The nurse should collaborate with the client and their family to develop a behavior management plan that involves positive reinforcement, limit setting, and consistent consequences.

Normal ranges: According to the DSM-5, conduct disorder is characterized by a persistent pattern of behavior that violates the rights of others or societal norms.

The symptoms of conduct disorder include aggression, deceitfulness, destruction of property, serious rule violations, and lack of remorse.

Conduct disorder can cause significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning. The prevalence of conduct disorder is estimated to be 4% among children and adolescents.

The risk factors for conduct disorder include genetic factors, neurobiological factors, environmental factors, and psychological factors.