The nurse is continuing to assist with the care of the client.

For each finding, click to specify if the finding indicates that the client's condition has improved or has not changed.

A. Anuria: Anuria, or the absence of urine output, indicates severe dehydration or acute renal failure rather than moderate dehydration. Moderate dehydration usually presents with decreased but not absent urine output, as the body still tries to conserve fluids.

B. A 7% weight loss from baseline: A weight loss of 6% to 9% of body weight is consistent with moderate dehydration in infants and children. This measurable sign is a critical and objective indicator used to assess the severity of dehydration, particularly following prolonged vomiting or diarrhea.

C. Hyperpnea: Hyperpnea, or abnormally deep and rapid breathing, can be seen in cases of severe dehydration or metabolic acidosis. It is not a classic finding of moderate dehydration, where respiratory patterns are usually normal or only mildly affected.

D. Lethargy: Lethargy typically suggests severe dehydration rather than moderate. In moderate dehydration, the infant may be irritable or thirsty but usually maintains normal mental status without profound decreases in responsiveness or alertness.

• Deep tendon patellar reflex: The client's deep tendon reflexes improved from being hyperreflexive at 4+ to normal at 2+ without clonus on Day 2. This is a positive sign because hyperreflexia increases seizure risk in preeclampsia, and normalization indicates stabilization of neurological irritability.
• Blood pressure: Although still elevated, the blood pressure decreased from 166/110 mm Hg to 152/90 mm Hg by Day 2. While not normal yet, the trend toward lower values represents improvement in controlling the severe hypertension associated with preeclampsia.
• Heart rate: The client's heart rate increased slightly from 72/min to 90/min. While still within normal range, this change reflects a more responsive and stable cardiovascular status, and there are no signs of bradycardia or distress, supporting mild improvement.
• Edema: The client continues to have +3 pitting edema bilaterally, with no reported reduction compared to the initial assessment. Persistent severe edema suggests that fluid balance issues from preeclampsia have not yet improved and still require active management.