A client who had transsphenoidal hypophysectomy twelve hours ago is drinking fluids through a straw. This is a priority for the nurse to intervene.

• A. Sitting up in bed
• B. Drinking fluids through a straw
• C. Ambulating to the bathroom without assistance
• D. Eating spicy foods

Answer: (B)

After this type of nasal/skull base surgery, the priority is to prevent anything that raises intracranial pressure or disrupts the surgical site. Drinking through a straw creates suction in the nasal area, which can pull on the operative site, disturb the clot, and lead to a cerebrospinal fluid leak. A CSF leak at the operative site raises the risk of meningitis and can compromise healing, so stopping straw use and encouraging sipping from a cup with the head elevated is the safer approach.

Sitting up helps reduce pressure and promote drainage, and ambulating with assistance can be appropriate as tolerated, but neither carries the same immediate risk as introducing suction at the nasal incision. Spicy foods aren’t an acute safety concern in this context.