The nurse is monitoring a client who abuses alcohol for signs of alcohol withdrawal delirium. The nurse would monitor for which symptoms?

A) Correct. Schizoaffective disorder is characterized by a combination of symptoms of schizophrenia (such as delusions and hallucinations) and mood disorders (such as depression or mania).

B) Incorrect. Waxy flexibility and catatonic excitement are more commonly associated with catatonic schizophrenia, not schizoaffective disorder.

C) Incorrect. Bizarre mannerisms and hostility may be seen in various psychiatric disorders but are not specific to schizoaffective disorder.

D) Incorrect. While agitation and ideas of reference can occur in schizoaffective disorder, they are not the defining features of this diagnosis.

A. Kidney function studies While monitoring kidney function is important for clients on certain medications, it is not the primary laboratory test for monitoring clozapine. Clozapine is associated with agranulocytosis, which affects white blood cell count.

B. Red blood cell count Monitoring red blood cell count is not the primary concern when a client is prescribed clozapine. The main concern with clozapine is agranulocytosis, which affects white blood cells.

C. Liver function studies While liver function is important to monitor with some medications, it is not the primary laboratory test for monitoring clozapine. The primary concern with clozapine is agranulocytosis, which affects white blood cell count.

D. White blood cell count Clozapine is associated with agranulocytosis, a potentially life- threatening condition characterized by a severe decrease in white blood cells. Regular
monitoring of white blood cell count is crucial to detect and prevent this adverse effect. This test should be performed before starting clozapine and regularly throughout treatment. If the white blood cell count drops significantly, clozapine may need to be discontinued. This makes it the
most important laboratory study to monitor when a client is prescribed clozapine.