Final answer:
The priority nursing responsibility when transferring a client from one unit to another is to provide a verbal report of the client's status to the admitting nurse.
Step-by-step explanation:
The priority nursing responsibility when transferring a client from one unit in the hospital to another after hip surgery is to provide a verbal report of the client's status to the admitting nurse. This is crucial for maintaining continuity of care and ensuring that all necessary information is communicated to the receiving unit.
Administering prescribed pain medication before transfer may be important, but it is not the priority nursing responsibility in this situation. Ensuring the client's personal belongings are packed and updating the client's family on the transfer details are also important, but they are secondary to providing a verbal report.
Therefore, the correct answer is a. Provide a verbal report of the client's status to the admitting nurse.