Question

The nurse cares for a client just returning to the postsurgical unit following abdominal surgery for cancer of the colon. It is MOST appropriate for the nurse to take which of the following actions?

1) Determine the stage of loss and grief.
2) Analyze the quality and quantity of pain.
3) Instruct the client to cough and deep breathe.
4) Ask the client to lift his head off the pillow.

Answer 1

The nurse should instruct the client to cough and deep breathe after abdominal surgery for colon cancer to prevent respiratory complications.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most appropriate action for the nurse to take when caring for a client who has just returned to the postsurgical unit following abdominal surgery for colon cancer would be to instruct the client to cough and deep breathe.

Coughing and deep breathing exercises are important postoperative measures to prevent complications such as atelectasis (collapsed lung) and pneumonia. These exercises help to expand the lungs and remove secretions from the respiratory system, promoting better lung function and preventing respiratory complications.

In this specific scenario, determining the stage of loss and grief (Option 1) or analyzing the quality and quantity of pain (Option 2) would not be the most appropriate actions for the nurse to take immediately after abdominal surgery. Asking the client to lift his head off the pillow (Option 4) may be too strenuous and potentially harmful for the client.