The physician has ordered Sulfamylon (mafenide acetate) cream for a client with a partial thickness burn of the right arm. Prior to applying the medication, the nurse should do which of the following? A. Soak the old dressing with hydrogen peroxide B. Administer pain medication C. Offer additional fluids to combat dehydration D. Check extremity for capillary refill

Before diving into the correct answer, we can try to rule out any options that are certainly not the right actions to perform before applying Sulfamylon cream. Option A (soaking the old dressing with hydrogen peroxide) can be ruled out, as hydrogen peroxide can be cytotoxic and therefore is not recommended for treating burns.

Now we are left with options B, C, and D. Each of these options might seem reasonable in a burn treatment scenario, but we must determine the one that is most crucial to the question being asked. Consider what action is the most closely related to applying the medication. - Option B (Administer pain medication): Applying Sulfamylon cream could cause pain, so providing pain relief is an important factor in patient care. This is a possibility. - Option C (Offer additional fluids to combat dehydration): While hydration is important for burn patients, it does not seem as closely related to the application of the Sulfamylon cream itself. - Option D (Check extremity for capillary refill): Checking capillary refill can help determine tissue perfusion and is relevant to the patient's overall condition. However, it is not as closely related to the application of the Sulfamylon cream as Option B.

Based on the reasoning in step 2, it seems clear that the most relevant and important action for the nurse to take before applying the Sulfamylon cream is to administer pain medication. This ensures that the patient is more comfortable and experiences minimal pain, which is essential in providing optimal care and healing for the burn wound. So the correct answer is Option B: Administer pain medication.