A nurse on a mental health unit is caring for a client. For each potential intervention, click to specify if the intervention is anticipated or contraindicated for the client.

Choice A reason: Encouraging rest periods is anticipated because clients experiencing mania often have decreased need for sleep and heightened psychomotor activity. Structured rest periods help reduce exhaustion, stabilize mood, and prevent escalation of manic symptoms. Rest periods also promote recovery by counteracting the hyperactivity and insomnia commonly associated with mania. Choice B reason: Daily weights are anticipated because clients with mania often neglect nutrition due to distractibility, hyperactivity, and poor insight. Monitoring weight provides objective data on nutritional status and helps the healthcare team intervene early if significant weight loss occurs. This is critical since malnutrition can worsen physical health and exacerbate psychiatric symptoms. Choice C reason: Increasing environmental stimuli is contraindicated because clients with mania are already overstimulated. Additional stimuli can intensify agitation, distractibility, and restlessness, worsening the manic episode. The therapeutic environment should instead be calm, structured, and low-stimulation to promote focus and reduce hyperactivity. Choice D reason: Offering finger foods is anticipated because clients with mania often cannot sit still long enough to consume a full meal. Finger foods allow them to eat while pacing or moving, ensuring adequate caloric intake despite their inability to remain seated. This intervention directly addresses nutritional deficits while accommodating the client’s psychomotor agitation. Choice E reason: Applying restraints is contraindicated unless the client poses an immediate danger to themselves or others. Mania is best managed through therapeutic interventions such as medication, structured environment, and supportive care. Restraints can increase agitation, cause trauma, and damage the therapeutic relationship. They are not indicated in this scenario since the client is restless but not violent or self-harming.