Final answer:
The nurse should encourage the client to cough and deep breathe after a thoracentesis to help expand the lungs and promote gas exchange. Positioning the client and monitoring vitals are crucial but a Foley catheter is not typically necessary unless indicated for other reasons.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nurse planning care for a client scheduled for a thoracentesis should prioritize interventions that ensure the safety and comfort of the patient during and after the procedure. The thoracentesis procedure involves inserting a needle into the pleural space to remove fluid for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. The surgeon, nurse, and anesthesia professional must closely monitor the patient's vitals and recovery progress.
The correct intervention from the options provided is (b) Encourage the client to cough and deep breathe after the procedure. This practice helps to expand the lungs, prevent atelectasis, and promote gas exchange. The insertion of a catheter, as mentioned in option (d), may be relevant for invasive pressure measurements, but a Foley catheter for urine output monitoring is not typically required for this procedure.
Clients are usually positioned sitting upright with the arms resting on an over-bed table or lying on the unaffected side with the head elevated during the procedure, contradicting option (c). As for option (a), administering oxygen can be important, but the flow rate should be based on the client's oxygenation status and not a predetermined rate.