A nurse is developing a discharge plan for a client who is postoperative and will require a wheelchair in the home. The nurse should place a referral to which of the following resources to assist the client with this need?

The correct answer is choice D.

Choice A rationale:

“Auscultate the client’s bowel sounds.” While auscultating bowel sounds can provide information about the client’s gastrointestinal function, it is not the priority assessment for a client who has been vomiting and experiencing diarrhea for the past 6 hours.

Choice B rationale:

“Measure the client’s temperature.” Measuring the client’s temperature can help identify if the client has an infection, which could be causing the vomiting and diarrhea. However, it is not the priority assessment in this situation.

Choice C rationale:

“Check the client’s urine specific gravity.” Checking the client’s urine specific gravity can provide information about the client’s hydration status. However, it is not the priority assessment for a client who has been vomiting and experiencing diarrhea for the past 6 hours.

Choice D rationale:

“Obtain the client’s serum potassium level.” This is the correct answer. Prolonged vomiting and diarrhea can lead to significant loss of electrolytes, including potassium. A low potassium level (hypokalemia) can have serious effects, including cardiac arrhythmias. Therefore, obtaining the client’s serum potassium level is the priority assessment.

The correct answer is choice D: Explore alternative solutions to address unit workflow with the nurses.

Choice A rationale:

Scheduling the nurses to work on alternating shifts (Choice A) might alleviate the immediate conflict, but it doesn't address the root cause of the issue, which is their perceived unequal workload. This approach could also disrupt the unit's continuity of care and potentially lead to further conflicts.

Choice B rationale:

Organizing a task force to evaluate the situation (Choice B) could be beneficial in the long run for identifying systemic issues contributing to the conflict. However, this approach might take time to yield results. In the meantime, the conflict could continue to negatively impact the unit's functioning.

Choice C rationale:

Telling the nurses that it's their responsibility to cooperate with coworkers (Choice C) is oversimplifying the situation. While cooperation is important, conflicts often arise from deeper issues that need to be addressed constructively. This choice doesn't provide a clear plan for resolving the workload disparity.

Choice D rationale:

Exploring alternative solutions to address unit workflow with the nurses (Choice D) is the most effective approach. By engaging the nurses in problem-solving discussions, the charge nurse can identify the reasons behind their perception of unfair workload distribution and collaboratively develop strategies to ensure a more equitable division of tasks. This approach promotes communication, collaboration, and shared accountability.