A client is admitted to the surgical intensive care unit following the removal of a large portion of the intestines due to a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The client begins to display signs of septic shock and a sepsis protocol is initiated. Which intervention is most important for the nurse to include in the plan of care?

A. Maintain strict intake and output: Maintaining strict intake and output is essential in septic shock to monitor renal function and ensure adequate perfusion. Decreased urine output can indicate worsening shock or kidney failure, which requires prompt intervention. B. Assess warmth of extremities: Early signs of septic shock often include cool or mottled extremities due to poor circulation, which should be addressed more through perfusion monitoring than by focusing solely on warmth. C. Keep head of bed raised 45 degrees: Elevating the head of the bed may be helpful in certain situations, but it is not the most critical intervention for septic shock. The priority is to ensure proper hemodynamic monitoring, fluid resuscitation, and organ perfusion. D. Monitor blood glucose level: While monitoring blood glucose is important in critically ill clients, it is not the immediate priority in septic shock. Sepsis often causes hyperglycemia, but managing fluid resuscitation and organ perfusion is the most urgent intervention.