When a client diagnosed with schizophrenia was discharged 6 months ago, haloperidol was prescribed. The client now says, "I stopped taking those pills. They made me feel like a robot." What are common side effects the nurse should validate with the client?

A. Orienting the client to the unit While orientation is important, the client's prolonged
immobility and stupor necessitate a physical assessment first to ensure there are no underlying medical issues contributing to this state.

B. Reinforcing reality with the client The client's catatonic state may make it difficult to effectively communicate or engage in reality orientation at this point. Addressing potential physical issues is the initial priority.

C. Establishing a nonthreatening relationship Building a therapeutic relationship is crucial, but given the client's current state, assessing for physical problems takes precedence.

D. Assessing the client for physical problems The client's prolonged catatonic state requires an
immediate physical assessment to rule out any underlying medical conditions contributing to his condition.

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.