Read the information below.

• Client reports pain at surgical incision site as 5 on a scale of 0 to 10.
• Client reports bladder fullness. Perineal dressing intact with minimal serosanguinous drainage.
• Client transferring out of bed to chair independently.
• Extremities cool and dry with 2+ peripheral pulses.
• Client reports abdominal cramping and small, hard, painful bowel movement after lunch.
• Ambulating independently in hallway.
• Reports pain as 8 on a scale of 0 to 10, Urinary catheter intact with 100 mL/hr of pink urine.

Adequate fluid intake helps to soften the stool, prevent constipation, and ease bowel movements. It can also help with bladder function and prevent urinary tract infections. This intervention is particularly relevant given the client's complaint of abdominal cramping and a small, hard, painful bowel movement.

The other options are not appropriate based on the information provided:

• "Encourage prolonged dangling before ambulation" is not necessary or relevant in this case. The client is already transferring out of bed to a chair independently and ambulating independently in the hallway, indicating sufficient mobility.
• "Irrigate indwelling catheter with 500 mL of fluid" is not indicated based on the provided information. The urinary catheter is intact, and the client is producing an appropriate amount of urine. There is no indication of urinary retention or need for irrigation.
• "Administer an enema" is not necessary at this point. The client has reported a small, hard, painful bowel movement, which indicates constipation. However, conservative measures such as encouraging oral fluid intake and possibly adding dietary fiber should be tried first before considering an enema.
• "Assist the client with a sitz bath" is not directly related to the client's current symptoms. A sitz bath is typically used for perineal hygiene, pain relief, or healing after certain surgical procedures, but it does not address the reported abdominal cramping or constipation.