A nurse on a postpartum unit is receiving change-of-shift report for 4 clients. Which of the following clients should the nurse plan to see first?

Rationale:

• Contact the provider for an antibiotic prescription: Contacting the provider ensures the client receives prompt intervention for a likely surgical site infection. The wound is inflamed and draining yellow pus, and the client has a fever and leukocytosis. Early treatment can prevent the progression to severe sepsis.

• Increase the volume on the television: Increasing the volume on the television can heighten sensory overload and worsen the client’s confusion. Delirium management involves reducing noise and visual stimuli, not adding to it. This approach does not promote orientation or calmness.

• Ask the client's partner to leave the room: Asking the client's partner to leave may remove a critical source of comfort and familiarity. Familiar people help reorient clients with delirium or confusion. Their presence often reduces agitation and promotes emotional security.

• Dim the lights: Dimming the lights reduces environmental overstimulation that may worsen delirium. The client is experiencing hallucinations and disorientation, which are often intensified in bright ICU settings. A calm setting supports cognitive clarity and comfort.

• Assist with elimination: Assisting with elimination is appropriate if the client shows signs of distress or discomfort. However, this need is not emergent compared to infection and altered mental status. Treating the underlying cause of delirium should take precedence.

• Place the client in 4-point restraints: Placing the client in 4-point restraints is a last resort when other safety measures fail. Restraints can escalate agitation and lead to injury or trauma. Delirium should be managed first with environmental and medical interventions.

Rationale:

A. Encourage client to swallow while advancing tube: Swallowing facilitates the passage of the nasogastric tube through the oropharynx and esophagus by closing the epiglottis and reducing the risk of the tube entering the trachea. This action helps guide the tube smoothly into the stomach.

B. Measure the length of the tube from client's nose to shoulder: Proper measurement involves extending the tube from the nose to the earlobe and then down to the xiphoid process, not just to the shoulder.

C. Place client in semi-Fowler's position in bed: The client should be placed in a high-Fowler’s position, not semi-Fowler’s, to promote comfort and reduce the risk of aspiration. This upright position also allows for easier passage of the tube through the upper GI tract.

D. Advance tube during client's inspiration: Advancing the tube during inspiration increases the risk of the tube entering the airway rather than the esophagus. The tube should be advanced when the client is swallowing, which helps direct it into the digestive rather than respiratory tract.