For a client with mild preeclampsia, which nursing intervention should be included in the plan of care?

For a client with mild preeclampsia, which nursing intervention should be included in the plan of care?

• A. Teach daily weight
• B. Check urine for protein
• C. Assess blood pressure
• D. Assess deep tendon reflexes

Answer: (C)

In this situation, the most important thing to monitor is the mother's blood pressure because changes in BP directly reflect progression from mild to more dangerous preeclampsia and guide urgent decisions about care. Regular BP checks help detect rising pressure or onset of severe features early, which can necessitate closer monitoring, hospitalization, or delivery to protect both mother and fetus. Urine protein and daily weight are useful parts of ongoing assessment, but they don’t determine the immediacy of needed interventions in the same way that trends in blood pressure do. Assessing deep tendon reflexes can help identify signs of worsening status (like impending seizures), but the primary plan of care for mild preeclampsia centers on monitoring BP to catch progression promptly.

In this situation, the most important thing to monitor is the mother's blood pressure because changes in BP directly reflect progression from mild to more dangerous preeclampsia and guide urgent decisions about care. Regular BP checks help detect rising pressure or onset of severe features early, which can necessitate closer monitoring, hospitalization, or delivery to protect both mother and fetus.

Urine protein and daily weight are useful parts of ongoing assessment, but they don’t determine the immediacy of needed interventions in the same way that trends in blood pressure do. Assessing deep tendon reflexes can help identify signs of worsening status (like impending seizures), but the primary plan of care for mild preeclampsia centers on monitoring BP to catch progression promptly.