While bathing an elderly client who has limited abilities for self-car

While bathing an elderly client who has limited abilities for self-care, the nurse notices several patches of dry skin on the client’s heels, elbows, and coccyx. The nurse cleans and dries all the areas well and applies a moisturizing lotion.

The most appropriate immediate follow-up by the nurse to ensure appropriate nursing care for this client’s skin is to:
1. Revise the client’s care plan to show the need for the application of moisturizing lotion
2. Assume personal responsibility to apply the moisturizing lotion daily to the cli-ent’s skin
3. Encourage the client to tell whomever bathes her to apply the moisturizing lotion to her areas of dry skin
4. Inform the staff that the client’s skin is showing signs of breakdown and mois-turizing lotion needs to be applied daily

ANSWER

ANS: 1
The nurse revises the written care plan so that other nurses and nursing assistive personnel know the type of skin care to provide. The other options are less likely to convey the information effec-tively.