A nurse is providing home safety information for an older adult client who uses a cane. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the teaching?

A. You should advance your weak leg forward to the cane, then move your strong leg:
Advancing the weak leg first and then the strong leg is not the proper technique for using a cane. The correct method is to hold the cane on the stronger side and move the cane and the weaker leg forward together, followed by the stronger leg.

B. You should advance the cane 12 to 14 inches before taking a step:
Advancing the cane 12 to 14 inches is too far. The cane should be advanced approximately 6 to 10 inches to maintain balance and support.

C. The cane’s height should be the same as the distance from the floor to the crest of your hip bone:
The correct height for a cane is when the handle is at the level of the wrist when the user is standing with the arm hanging naturally at their side. This typically corresponds to the distance from the floor to the greater trochanter (hip bone). This ensures the cane provides the right amount of support and reduces the risk of strain or imbalance.

D. You should hold the cane in your weak hand when ambulating:
The cane should be held in the stronger hand, not the weak hand. This allows the cane to provide support to the weaker side of the body and helps to balance the weight distribution more effectively.

A. Hyponatremia: Hyponatremia is characterized by low sodium levels in the blood and can lead to symptoms such as weakness, confusion, and seizures. While hyponatremia can contribute to fluid imbalance, the client's presentation with shortness of breath, lower extremity swelling, crackles in the lungs, and elevated blood pressure is more indicative of fluid volume excess rather than hyponatremia.

B. Hypervolemia: Hypervolemia, or fluid volume excess, occurs when there is an abnormal increase in the extracellular fluid volume. This can lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath, crackles in the lungs (indicative of pulmonary edema), peripheral edema, and elevated blood pressure. Given the client's reported symptoms and assessment findings, hypervolemia is the most likely diagnosis.

C. Hypovolemia: Hypovolemia, or fluid volume deficit, occurs when there is a decrease in the extracellular fluid volume. This condition is characterized by symptoms such as thirst, dry mucous membranes, decreased urine output, and hypotension. The client in this scenario presents with signs and symptoms consistent with fluid volume excess rather than hypovolemia.

D. Hyperkalemia: Hyperkalemia is characterized by elevated potassium levels in the blood and can lead to symptoms such as muscle weakness, cardiac dysrhythmias, and nausea. While hyperkalemia can occur in clients with end-stage kidney disease, the client's reported symptoms and assessment findings are more suggestive of fluid volume excess rather than hyperkalemia.