A charge nurse on a medical-surgical unit is assisting with the emergency response plan following an external disaster in the community. In anticipation of multiple client admissions, which of the following current clients should the nurse recommend for early discharge?

For disaster discharge planning, the nurse recommends clients who are medically stable and can safely be discharged. A client 1 day postoperative from a vertebroplasty (a minimally invasive procedure) is likely the most stable of the four options and can be safely discharged with instructions. The COPD client with a high respiratory rate is in acute distress. The DVT client requires continued IV heparin therapy. The radiation implant client requires isolation and specialized handling — unsafe for early discharge.