Final answer:
A) Cloudy, turbid CSF.
A cloudy or turbid cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) suggests bacterial meningitis, often accompanied by decreased glucose and increased protein levels in the CSF.
Step-by-step explanation:
The change in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that indicates to the nurse that the client may have bacterial meningitis is A) Cloudy, turbid CSF. When the CSF is cloudy or turbid, it suggests the presence of an increased number of white blood cells, specifically polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), which typically occurs in response to a bacterial infection. Other indicators of bacterial meningitis include a decreased glucose level in the CSF and an increased protein level. These findings, along with the patient's clinical symptoms, aid in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis.