A nurse is assessing a client who had a colostomy 24 hrs ago. Which of the following findings is the nurse's priority?

A. The stoma appears dark purple in color. This is a priority finding, as it may indicate impaired circulation or necrosis of the stoma tissue. A healthy stoma should appear pink or red and moist. A dark purple or black color requires immediate evaluation. B. The colostomy has had no output. While it is important to monitor output, it is not unusual for a new colostomy to have minimal or no output in the first 24–48 hours post-op as bowel function returns. C. The client refuses to look at the colostomy. This is a psychosocial concern and may indicate body image issues or denial, but it is not the most urgent issue in the immediate postoperative period. D. The client reports a pain level of 6 on a scale from 0 to 10. Pain management is important, but a pain level of 6, while needing intervention, does not take priority over a potential vascular compromise of the stoma.