A nurse is providing teaching to a client following surgery to repair a detached retina of the left eye. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching?

Rationale:
A. "Add salt to season foods.": Adding salt can irritate oral mucosa, especially in clients with AIDS who often develop stomatitis or oral candidiasis. Salty foods worsen pain and delay healing of mucosal lesions, so mild, bland foods are preferred.

B. "Eat foods served at hot temperatures.": Hot foods increase discomfort and can further damage already inflamed oral tissues. Clients should instead consume cool or room-temperature foods to soothe irritation and promote better oral intake.

C. "Rinse your mouth with an alcohol-based mouthwash.": Alcohol-based mouthwashes dry and irritate the mucous membranes, worsening oral pain and increasing the risk of bleeding or infection. Nonalcoholic rinses, such as saline or baking soda solutions, are safer alternatives.

D. "Use ice chips to numb your mouth.": Sucking on ice chips provides local numbing and temporary pain relief, allowing the client to eat and drink more comfortably. This simple intervention also helps keep the oral mucosa moist and reduces inflammation.

Rationale:

• Encourage naps during the day when client is tired: Daytime napping can interfere with nighttime sleep quality and reduce trazodone’s effectiveness in reestablishing a normal sleep pattern.

• Advise client to rise slowly from sitting position: Trazodone can cause orthostatic hypotension, particularly when therapy is initiated. Educating the client to change positions slowly helps prevent dizziness and potential falls caused by sudden drops in blood pressure.

• Instruct client to avoid foods that have been fermented or aged: This instruction applies to MAOIs due to the risk of hypertensive crisis from tyramine, but trazodone is a serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor, not an MAOI.

• Encourage client to sleep until later in the morning: Oversleeping disrupts the circadian rhythm and may worsen fatigue. The goal is to maintain a stable sleep-wake cycle to enhance mood and energy regulation.

• Encourage a regular sleep-wake schedule: Establishing consistent sleep routines supports trazodone’s sedative effects and helps regulate the client’s circadian rhythm, improving overall sleep quality without disrupting normal activity patterns.

• Advise client to notify provider if pregnant: Trazodone is classified as pregnancy category C, meaning potential fetal risks exist. The client should notify the provider to evaluate the safety of continuing or adjusting medication during pregnancy.

• Encourage high-calorie finger foods: The client’s BMI has decreased, and trazodone may cause appetite suppression. Offering convenient, calorie-dense snacks helps maintain adequate nutrition and prevents further weight loss.