A nurse is caring for a female client following abdominal surgery. Select the 2 findings that the nurse should recognize as expected findings.

A. A slightly decreased hematocrit after surgery is an expected finding due to blood loss during the procedure and fluid shifts. The client’s hematocrit is 34% (normal 36–47%), which is consistent with mild postoperative changes and is not immediately concerning. B. The client reports abdominal pain as 9/10 on postoperative day 3, which is higher than expected at this stage. Pain should generally decrease over time with healing and pain management. Persistent or severe pain may indicate complications such as infection, obstruction, or ileus. C. The client’s 12-hour urine output is 800 mL, which equals approximately 66 mL/hr, within the normal range. While this is acceptable, urinary output is a monitoring parameter rather than an expected postoperative finding in the sense of being inherently “normal” post-surgery, especially with an indwelling catheter. D. Oxygen saturation of 97–98% on room air or supplemental oxygen is expected in a postoperative client. Maintaining adequate oxygenation is a positive indicator that the client’s respiratory status is stable following anesthesia and abdominal surgery. E. The client has a distended abdomen, hypoactive bowel sounds, and no bowel movement for 2 days, which may indicate postoperative ileus, a common complication but not an expected finding. Abdominal distension and hypoactive bowel sounds should be closely monitored.