The nurse is caring for a client following conventional surgery for a sliding hiatal hernia. Which intervention would be the priority? A. Monitoring for abdominal pain and medicating appropriately B. Reinforce teaching and ensuring incentive spirometry use as appropriate C. Assessing the dressing site for bleeding D. Monitoring the NG tube for patency and repositioning the tube if it is not working properly

Start by analyzing each of the given options and consider their importance during the immediate post-operative period: A. Monitoring for abdominal pain and medicating appropriately B. Reinforce teaching and ensuring incentive spirometry use as appropriate C. Assessing the dressing site for bleeding D. Monitoring the NG tube for patency and repositioning the tube if it is not working properly

After analyzing the options, we need to assess their relevance in the context of a patient who has recently undergone surgery for a sliding hiatal hernia: A. Monitoring for abdominal pain and medicating appropriately: This is an important intervention, as pain management is crucial for post-operative recovery. However, it may not be the highest priority. B. Reinforce teaching and ensuring incentive spirometry use as appropriate: This option is focused on promoting lung expansion and preventing post-operative complications such as pneumonia. It is an important intervention, but not the top priority immediately after surgery. C. Assessing the dressing site for bleeding: This is a critical intervention during the post-operative period as excessive bleeding could lead to various complications. It is important to monitor the dressing site regularly to ensure there is no bleeding. D. Monitoring the NG tube for patency and repositioning the tube if it is not working properly: This option is the most relevant in the given situation. A nasogastric (NG) tube is used to decompress the stomach and remove any accumulated fluid or gas after surgery for a hiatal hernia. Ensuring its proper functioning is essential for preventing complications such as aspiration or gastric distention.

Based on our assessment, option D (Monitoring the NG tube for patency and repositioning the tube if it is not working properly) is the priority intervention in this situation. Therefore, the correct answer is: D. Monitoring the NG tube for patency and repositioning the tube if it is not working properly