A nurse is caring for a client who had a surgical repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm 3 days ago. The client's vital signs are: temperature 38.3° C (100.9° F), heart rate 80/min, respiration 16/min, and blood pressure 128/76 mm Hg. Which of the following actions is the nurse's priority?

Rationale: A. Notify the surgeon of the temperature elevation: While the surgeon may need to be informed if there are signs of infection or persistent fever, the nurse should first gather more data to determine the possible cause of the elevated temperature. B. Encourage the client to drink more fluids: Increased fluid intake may help reduce mild postoperative fever, especially if it's related to dehydration or atelectasis. However, this is not the priority without assessing for infection first. C. Assess the surgical incision for signs of infection: The priority is to assess for potential sources of infection, particularly the surgical site, given that the client is 3 days postoperative and has a fever. Early identification of infection is critical to prevent complications such as wound dehiscence or sepsis. D. Monitor vital signs every 4 hr: Routine monitoring is important but does not take precedence over immediate assessment of the surgical site when there is a concerning temperature elevation. The nurse should act to identify the cause first.