A nurse is providing postmortem care for a client prior to the family viewing the body. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

After a patient dies, postmortem care includes preparing them for family viewing. The nurse should place the body in the supine position, with the arms at the sides and the head on a pillow. Then elevate the head of the bed 30 degrees to prevent discoloration from blood settling in the face .

The other options are not correct because:

b) The nurse should cleanse the client's body while wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) based on indications for isolation precautions, not necessarily sterile gloves.

c) If the patient wore dentures and your facility’s policy permits, gently insert them; then close the mouth

d) The nurse should close the eyes by gently pressing on the lids with their fingertips. If they don’t stay closed, place moist coton balls on the eyelids for a few minutes, and then try again to close them. Surgical tape is not mentioned as necessary .

c. Instruct the client to stand up slowly.

Explanation:

The correct answer is c. Instruct the client to stand up slowly.

Prazosin is an alpha-1 adrenergic blocker used to treat hypertension and benign prostatic hyperplasia. One of the common side effects of prazosin is orthostatic hypotension, which can cause a drop in blood pressure when changing positions from lying or sitting to standing.

In this scenario, the client's blood pressure is 100/60 mm Hg, which indicates hypotension. To prevent a sudden drop in blood pressure and related symptoms such as dizziness or fainting, the nurse should instruct the client to stand up slowly. This allows the body time to adjust to the change in position and minimizes the risk of orthostatic hypotension.

Option a, administering a reversal agent, is not necessary in this situation. Reversal agents are used to counteract the effects of specific medications when there is a need to rapidly reverse their actions. There is no indication in the scenario that the client requires a reversal agent.

Option b, initiating cardiac monitoring, is not warranted based solely on a blood pressure reading of 100/60 mm Hg. Cardiac monitoring is typically indicated when there are specific cardiac concerns or symptoms, which are not mentioned in the scenario.

Option d, informing the client to report urinary retention, is a potential side effect of prazosin but is not the most appropriate action to take in this situation. The client's blood pressure is the immediate concern, and addressing orthostatic hypotension by instructing the client to stand up slowly is the appropriate action.

By instructing the client to stand up slowly, the nurse promotes safety and minimizes the risk of orthostatic hypotension, allowing the client to adjust to the change in position and reduce the likelihood of experiencing symptoms related to low blood pressure.