Final answer:
After administering epinephrine for anaphylaxis, a nurse should recognize an increased heart rate as an adverse effect. Epinephrine constricts blood vessels to raise blood pressure, not decrease it, and it improves breathing rather than causing respiratory depression.
Step-by-step explanation:
When treating anaphylaxis, epinephrine is the drug of choice used to counteract the severe allergic reaction. This medication works by constricting blood vessels to increase blood pressure, relaxes smooth muscles in the lungs to improve breathing, modulates heart rate, and reduces swelling to keep airways open. As for the adverse effects of epinephrine, it typically causes an increased heart rate due to its stimulatory effect on the cardiovascular system.
Therefore, when assessing a client after administering epinephrine for an anaphylactic reaction, the nurse should identify an increased heart rate as an adverse effect of this medication. The options of decreased blood pressure, respiratory depression, and excessive salivation are not typically associated with the administration of epinephrine.