A nurse assesses a client after administering the first dose of a nitrate. The client reports a headache. What action would the nurse take?

A. Hold the next dose: Headaches are a common and expected side effect of nitrate therapy due to vasodilation. Holding the next dose without a specific medical order is not appropriate, as it may compromise the client’s anti-anginal therapy. Monitoring and managing the headache symptom is preferred over withholding medication. B. Initiate oxygen therapy: Oxygen is indicated for clients experiencing hypoxemia or acute myocardial ischemia. A nitrate-induced headache is not caused by oxygen deprivation, so initiating oxygen is unnecessary and does not address the symptom. C. Instruct the client to drink water: While hydration can help overall comfort, drinking water alone does not relieve nitrate-induced vasodilatory headaches. This is unlikely to significantly improve the symptom. D. Administer PRN acetaminophen: Administering an analgesic such as acetaminophen is an appropriate intervention for nitrate-related headaches. It helps manage discomfort without interfering with the therapeutic effects of the nitrate, allowing continued angina prevention while addressing the client’s reported symptom.