A nurse is reinforcing teaching with another nurse about how change an ostomy appliance for a client who has sigmoid colostomy. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching?

A) Position the client on their left side.
This is the most appropriate action. The client's symptoms (dizziness, racing heart, and paleness) are consistent with supine hypotensive syndrome, which occurs when the pregnant uterus compresses the inferior vena cava while lying on the back, reducing venous return to the heart. Positioning the client on their left side relieves the pressure on the vena cava, restores normal blood flow, and alleviates these symptoms. This is a common intervention during pregnancy to prevent such complications.

B) Check the client's temperature.
While checking the client’s temperature may be necessary if an infection is suspected, the symptoms described are more indicative of supine hypotensive syndrome rather than an infection. Therefore, checking the temperature is not the priority action in this scenario.

C) Instruct the client to take a brisk walk.
Encouraging the client to take a brisk walk is not an appropriate response to the symptoms described. In fact, moving or exerting oneself might worsen dizziness or lead to further complications. The priority is to relieve the pressure on the vena cava by changing the client's position, not by physical activity.

D) Provide the client with a glass of orange juice.
Although providing orange juice might help if the client is experiencing hypoglycemia, there is no indication from the symptoms described that the client has low blood sugar. The client's symptoms are more likely due to positional changes that affect circulation during pregnancy, and the best immediate action is to change the client's position rather than offering food or drink.

A) You can splint the incision with a pillow when changing position: Splinting the incision with a pillow is an excellent nonpharmacological method to manage pain during position changes after a cesarean section. The pillow helps provide support to the incision site, reduces strain on the abdominal muscles, and minimizes discomfort when the client moves. This is a safe and effective intervention to help with pain management.

B) You should change position as little as possible: While minimizing movement might seem like a way to prevent pain, it can lead to complications like muscle stiffness, poor circulation, and respiratory issues. It’s important for clients to change positions to promote comfort, circulation, and lung expansion, but they should do so with support to manage pain effectively.

C) You should use patterned paced breathing when changing positions: Patterned paced breathing is a helpful relaxation technique that can be used in various situations, including labor and delivery. However, it is not the most appropriate response in this context, as the client’s pain is more related to physical discomfort from the incision, and physical support (like splinting the incision) would be more effective in managing this type of pain.

D) You can apply counterpressure to your back with each position change: While counterpressure can be beneficial for back pain during labor, it is not the most relevant technique for managing pain after a cesarean section, where the pain is related to the abdominal incision site. Splinting the incision provides more targeted support for post-cesarean discomfort.