The nurse is providing discharge education to a client diagnosed with heart failure. What should the nurse teach this client to do to assess fluid balance in the home setting?

A. Remove the client's IV access:

Removing the client's IV access is not the most appropriate initial action when a client experiences difficulty breathing and severe chest tightness during a transfusion. While it's important to discontinue the infusion, the immediate priority is to stop the transfusion itself to prevent further reaction and assess the client's condition.

B. Assess the client's chest sounds and vital signs:

This choice is the correct answer. After stopping the transfusion, the nurse should assess the client's respiratory status by listening to chest sounds for any wheezing or crackles, as well as checking vital signs such as oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and heart rate. These assessments help evaluate the severity of the reaction and guide further interventions.

C. Notify the client's healthcare provider:

Notifying the healthcare provider is an essential step, but it typically follows the immediate action of stopping the transfusion and assessing the client's condition. The healthcare provider needs to be informed promptly about the client's condition, transfusion reaction, and the actions taken for further guidance and orders.

D. Stop the transfusion immediately:

This is the initial and most critical action when a client experiences signs of a transfusion reaction such as difficulty breathing and severe chest tightness. Stopping the transfusion promptly helps prevent the reaction from worsening and allows for immediate assessment and intervention to ensure client safety.

A. Take the iron with dairy products to enhance absorption: This statement is incorrect. Calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products, can inhibit iron absorption. It's recommended to take iron supplements with vitamin C-rich foods or beverages to enhance iron absorption.

B. Limit foods high in fiber due to the risk for diarrhea: While some individuals may experience gastrointestinal side effects such as constipation or diarrhea when taking iron supplements, it is not generally recommended to limit foods high in fiber. Adequate fiber intake is important for overall digestive health.

C. Increase the intake of vitamin E to enhance absorption: Vitamin E does not directly enhance iron absorption. Vitamin C is the nutrient that enhances iron absorption, so increasing intake of vitamin C-rich foods or taking vitamin C supplements along with iron supplements can improve iron absorption.

D. Iron will cause the stools to darken in color: This statement is correct. Iron supplements can cause stools to become dark or even black in color. This is a harmless side effect known as "iron stools" and is caused by the reaction of iron with substances in the digestive tract.