A child who is hospitalized with acute glomerulonephritis experiences blurred vision and headache while in the playroom. Which action by the nurse is the most appropriate?
A) Reassure the child and encourage bed rest until the headache improves.
B) Obtain the child's blood pressure and notify the physician.
C) Check the urine to see if hematuria has increased.
D) Obtain serum electrolytes and send a urinalysis to the lab.
Answer: B
Blurred vision and headache may be signs of encephalopathy, a complication of acute glomerulonephritis. The nurse should obtain a blood pressure reading and notify the physician. The physician may decide to order an antihypertensive to bring down the blood pressure. This is a serious complication, and delay in treatment could mean lethargy and seizures. Therefore, the other options (checking urine for hematuria, encouraging bed rest, and obtaining serum electrolytes) do not directly address the potential problem of encephalopathy.
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