A nurse is assessing a client who has heart failure. The client has moist lung sounds, bounding pulse, increased blood pressure, and pitting peripheral edema. Which of the following is the nurse's priority intervention?

Rationale: A. Administer diuretics: The client's symptoms, moist lung sounds, bounding pulse, elevated blood pressure, and pitting edema indicate fluid volume overload. Administering prescribed diuretics is the priority intervention to rapidly reduce intravascular and interstitial fluid volume and relieve pulmonary congestion. B. Limit the client's fluid intake: Fluid restriction helps manage ongoing fluid retention but does not address the immediate concern of volume overload. It is a supportive measure rather than the initial priority in acute decompensated heart failure. C. Insert an indwelling urinary catheter: While catheterization may help monitor output, it does not treat the underlying fluid excess. Inserting a catheter without addressing the fluid accumulation first does not provide immediate symptom relief. D. Place the client on a low-sodium diet: A low-sodium diet is important for long-term management of heart failure, but it does not provide the prompt fluid removal needed in this acute situation. Immediate diuresis is necessary to reduce cardiac workload and respiratory distress.