The nurse is planning care for a client who has a fourth-degree midline laceration that occurred during vaginal delivery of an 8-pound 10-ounce (3674 grams) infant.

Which intervention has the highest priority for this client?

The correct answer is Choice B.

Choice A rationale: While notifying the charge nurse about the client’s condition is important, it is not the most critical action. The charge nurse’s role would be to coordinate care and ensure appropriate resources are available, but the immediate safety and well-being of the client and others in the facility is the priority. Therefore, this choice is not the most important action for the nurse to take.

Choice B rationale: Instituting droplet precautions, placing the client in a private room, and keeping the door closed is the most important action. COVID-19 is primarily spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. It can also be spread by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes. Therefore, it is crucial to implement droplet precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. This includes wearing a mask, eye protection, and a gown and gloves when caring for the client. The client should also be placed in a private room with the door closed to further prevent the spread of the virus.

Choice C rationale: While it is important for the client to inform others that they may have been potentially exposed, this is not the most critical action. The priority is to prevent the spread of the virus within the healthcare facility. Once the client is appropriately isolated and precautions are in place, the client can be educated and assisted with notifying others about potential exposure.

Choice D rationale: Placing the nasal swab specimen for COVID-19 directly into a biohazard bag is a standard procedure when collecting specimens for testing. However, this action does not address the immediate need to prevent the spread of the virus within the healthcare facility. Therefore, this choice is not the most important action for the nurse to take.

Choice A rationale:

Tenderness is not considered a normal finding during percussion of the abdomen. Tenderness suggests an underlying issue or inflammation in the abdominal area, which requires further evaluation and investigation.

Choice B rationale:

Musical and drumlike sounds are considered normal findings during percussion of the abdomen. These sounds indicate the presence of air-filled structures like the stomach or intestines. Normal abdominal percussion sounds are tympanic, and they are characterized by a hollow, drum-like quality when the abdomen is tapped lightly. This finding suggests that there are no significant abnormalities in the abdominal area.

Choice C rationale:

Absent sounds during abdominal percussion are not considered normal and may indicate a potential problem. Absent sounds could be due to factors such as bowel obstruction or severe constipation, which require further assessment and intervention.

Choice D rationale:

Pain during abdominal percussion is not considered a normal finding. It indicates discomfort or tenderness in the abdominal area, which requires further evaluation to determine the underlying cause.