A patient with catatonic schizophrenia has been standing with his left arm upraised and his right foot off the floor for the majority of the last 20 hours,eating only when allowed to eat standing up.Which nursing intervention has priority for this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Patients who maintain one position for long periods of time should be assessed for dependent edema.In this case,the nurse would look for edema of the lower extremities and would be concerned about the pressure exerted by standing on one foot for long periods of time.Such encouragement would probably be met with resistance by the patient.High-calorie drinks would be necessary if the patient failed to eat at meals.The patient probably would not be able to cognitively process what is required to participate in activities.

A Patient with Catatonic Schizophrenia Has Been Standing with His