Final answer:
To determine if risperidone is effective for treating schizophrenia, a nurse would monitor for improved social interaction, as it signifies a decrease in psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nurse caring for a client who has schizophrenia and is to start therapy with risperidone would monitor for several key symptoms to determine the effectiveness of the treatment. Risperidone is an antipsychotic medication designed to treat symptoms of schizophrenia by blocking dopamine receptors and thereby reducing dopamine neurotransmission.
The nurse should look for an improved social interaction as this indicates that the psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking are likely to be decreasing, which are more characteristic manifestations of schizophrenia improvement. While antipsychotics may impact obsessive-compulsive thoughts, motor tremors, or urinary control, these are not the primary symptoms used to gauge the effectiveness of treatment in schizophrenia.