Final answer:
The nurse should notify the provider if a client being treated with magnesium sulfate for preterm labor has a respiratory rate of 6 per minute, indicating potential magnesium sulfate toxicity.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nurse caring for a client who is at 30 weeks of gestation and has a prescription for magnesium sulfate to treat preterm labor should notify the provider if the client exhibits a respiratory rate of 6 per minute. This is a potential sign of magnesium sulfate toxicity, which is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. While other side effects such as increased urinary output, hyperreflexia, and warm, flushed skin may be associated with magnesium sulfate use, they do not typically pose the same immediate threat as severely depressed respiration. According to medical guidelines, symptoms like a very low respiratory rate signify impending respiratory failure, warranting urgent intervention.
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