We encourage the patient to cough and deep breathe after surgery to prevent:

Choice A reason: The first step should always be to assess the patient's physical state to rule out any immediate life-threatening conditions before proceeding with psychiatric interventions.

Choice B reason: Administering medication may be necessary, but it should not precede an assessment of the patient's vital signs.

Choice C reason: While instructing the patient to sit and breathe deeply can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety, it is not the first action to take before assessing the patient's vital signs.

Choice D reason: Imagery exercises can be helpful for managing anxiety, but they are not the priority before ensuring the patient's physiological stability.

Choice A reason: Coughing and deep breathing exercises after surgery are encouraged to prevent atelectasis, which is the collapse of part or (less commonly) all of a lung.

Choice B reason: Induction is not a postoperative complication; it refers to the process of initiating anesthesia.

Choice C reason: Hypothermia is a condition of abnormally low body temperature, not directly prevented by coughing and deep breathing.

Choice D reason: Hematoma, a collection of blood outside of blood vessels, is not prevented by coughing and deep breathing exercises.