A nurse is caring for a client who has skeletal traction for treatment of a femur fracture. Which action should the nurse take?

A. Clean the pin sites daily: Skeletal traction involves pins inserted through bone, creating a direct pathway for infection. Daily pin site care using aseptic technique reduces the risk of osteomyelitis and local infection. Monitoring for redness, drainage, or tenderness is also essential in early detection of complications. B. Position the weights on the traction so they are touching the head of the client's bed: Traction weights must hang freely to maintain constant tension on the affected limb. If weights rest on the bed or any surface, the traction force is disrupted, reducing effectiveness and potentially delaying bone alignment and healing. C. Encourage isometric exercises every 8 hours: Isometric exercises are beneficial to maintain muscle strength and prevent atrophy, but the frequency should be more regular than every 8 hours. Additionally, while important, this is not the priority action compared to preventing infection at the pin sites. D. Assist the client to shift position every 4 hours: Repositioning is important to prevent pressure injuries, but clients in skeletal traction require careful alignment and are usually repositioned more frequently than every 4 hours. Improper repositioning can disrupt traction alignment and compromise treatment.