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When caring for a client with osteoarthritis, the nursing assistant should do what to promote comfort?
Leave them alone to rest
Turn the client every 2 hours and encourage coughing and deep breathing
Provide range of motion exercises constantly
Advise them to stay in bed all day
The correct answer is: Turn the client every 2 hours and encourage coughing and deep breathing
Promoting comfort for a client with osteoarthritis involves actions that enhance mobility, reduce stiffness, and maintain lung health. Turning the client every 2 hours serves several purposes: it helps prevent pressure ulcers, reduces muscle stiffness, and facilitates better circulation. Encouraging coughing and deep breathing is essential for maintaining lung health, especially if mobility is limited. Maintaining regular movement, even if it is gentle, can help alleviate discomfort associated with stiffness in the joints that osteoarthritis causes. This option recognizes the importance of both repositioning to prevent complications from immobility and the necessity of respiratory care to ensure lung function remains optimal. In contrast, leaving the person alone may not address their comfort needs adequately. Constantly performing range of motion exercises could lead to fatigue or discomfort if not done with consideration for the client's condition. Advising the client to remain in bed all day is counterproductive, as inactivity can exacerbate stiffness and decrease overall comfort. Therefore, the selected approach effectively balances rest with necessary movement and care.