A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a caregiver about how to safely prepare formula for their 3-day-old newborn. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the teaching?

Rationale:

A. The client needs strict measurement of intake and output: This task can be delegated to assistive personnel as it involves routine data collection without complex clinical judgment.

B. The client develops a postoperative fever: A postoperative fever may indicate infection or other complications requiring assessment, clinical judgment, and intervention by a registered nurse.

C. The client is experiencing a therapeutic effect from their treatment: Monitoring expected therapeutic effects is routine and can often be overseen by licensed practical nurses or assistive personnel, depending on policy.

D. The client needs routine wound care performed: Routine wound care is generally a delegated nursing task that does not require the advanced assessment or clinical decision-making of an RN unless complications arise.

Rationale:

A. Urinary retention: Urinary retention is a potential side effect of epidural anesthesia due to blockade of sacral nerves, not necessarily a sign of unrelieved pain. It may occur even if pain is well managed, especially with regional anesthetics affecting bladder function.

B. Restlessness: Restlessness is a common behavioral indicator of unrelieved pain. When verbal reporting is limited or unreliable, restlessness may reflect discomfort, agitation, or anxiety related to inadequate pain control following procedures such as epidural administration.

C. Difficulty swallowing: Difficulty swallowing is not associated with pain from a herniated disc or the effects of an epidural. It may instead suggest upper airway or neurologic issues and should prompt assessment for complications unrelated to pain control.

D. Constipation: Constipation is more commonly linked to opioid use or immobility rather than unrelieved pain. While discomfort may contribute, constipation alone does not reliably indicate the adequacy of pain relief in clients receiving an epidural.