One hour after arriving on the postoperative unit, a woman who received spinal anesthesia 5 hours ago is complaining of severe abdominal incisional pain. Her vital signs are: temperature 99° F (37.2° C), heart rate 110 beats/minute, respiratory rate 30 breaths/minute and blood pressure 160/90 mmHg. The client's skin is pale, and the surgical dressing is dry and Intact. Which intervention is most important for the nurse to Implement?

A) Incorrect- Anal abscesses and fistulas are more commonly associated with Crohn's disease than with ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease can involve the entire thickness of the bowel wall and create tunnels or connections (fistulas) between different parts of the gastrointestinal tract.
B) Correct- Rectal bleeding is a common symptom of ulcerative colitis, as the inflamed tissue can bleed easily.
C) Incorrect- Constipation is not a common characteristic of Crohn's disease. In fact, both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease can lead to a range of bowel habits, including diarrhea and constipation, depending on the extent and location of inflammation.
D) Incorrect- Both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) that involve chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Ulcerative colitis primarily affects the colon and rectum, causing continuous areas of inflammation and ulceration. Crohn's disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus. It often involves patches of inflammation with healthy tissue in between, and it can affect different layers of the bowel wall.

In this scenario, the client's sudden onset of feeling apprehensive, restlessness, and increased body temperature are consistent with symptoms of a thyroid crisis, also known as thyroid storm or thyrotoxic crisis. Thyroid crisis is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical intervention.

Initiating IV access is crucial to ensure the prompt administration of medications and fluids to manage the thyroid crisis effectively. IV access allows for the administration of beta-blockers, antithyroid drugs, and supportive care, which are essential components of the treatment for thyroid crisis. IV access also provides a route for fluid resuscitation if necessary.

Accessing laboratory results to confirm a thyroid crisis is important, but the clinical presentation of the client with sudden onset symptoms and a known history of uncontrolled hyperthyroidism suggests the need for immediate intervention rather than waiting for laboratory confirmation.

Obtaining a complete set of vital signs is an important assessment to gather comprehensive data, but in the case of a suspected thyroid crisis, immediate intervention takes precedence over obtaining vital signs.

Encouraging relaxation and slow deep breathing may be beneficial in managing anxiety or discomfort, but it does not address the underlying emergency situation of a thyroid crisis. The nurse should focus on initiating appropriate medical interventions first.