The healthcare provider prescribes dalteparin 200 units/kg subcutaneously once day for a client who weighs 154 pounds. The medication is available in 25,000 units/mL vial. How many mL should the nurse administer? (Enter numerical value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.)

A. Advise the client to grab hold of the gait belt for added support: Once a client begins to fall, instructing them to hold the belt is ineffective and unsafe. Immediate action is needed to prevent injury.

B. Support the client in an upright position until the belt is removed: Attempting to maintain the client upright during a fall increases the risk of both the client and nurse sustaining injury.

C. Use the gait belt to slowly guide the client back to the room: Trying to walk a falling client back to the room is unsafe and does not prevent injury.

D. Ease the client to the floor while holding the gait belt securely: Safely lowering the client to the floor while maintaining control of the gait belt minimizes the risk of injury to both the client and the nurse, following proper fall safety procedures.

Rationale for correct choices:

• Increase your water and fiber intake while taking opioids: Opioids frequently cause constipation by slowing gastrointestinal motility. Encouraging adequate hydration and fiber intake helps prevent constipation and maintain bowel regularity, which is an essential part of opioid education.

• Expect the morphine to take 1 to 2 hours for full effect: IV morphine typically takes effect within 5 to 10 minutes, with peak analgesic effect in about 20 minutes. Telling the client it takes 1 to 2 hours may cause confusion and unnecessary delay in using other comfort measures.

• Request pain medication only if pain is severe: Waiting until pain is severe can result in poor pain control and decreased participation in respiratory exercises. Encouraging timely administration before pain becomes severe promotes better analgesia and facilitates lung expansion.

• Use incentive spirometer when the pain medication takes effect: Pain can limit the client’s ability to perform deep breathing exercises. Using the incentive spirometer when analgesia is effective promotes lung expansion, reduces atelectasis risk, and improves oxygenation in clients with rib fractures.

• Ask for assistance when getting out of bed after taking morphine: Morphine can cause dizziness, orthostatic hypotension, or sedation, increasing fall risk. Asking for assistance ensures client safety during ambulation or position changes, especially in older adults with recent trauma.