A patient has a great deal of pain when coughing and deep breathing after abdominal surgery despite having pain medication. What action by the nurse is best?

Choice A reason: Encouraging shallow breathing can lead to atelectasis and pneumonia due to poor lung expansion. It is not a therapeutic intervention and may worsen postoperative outcomes. Choice B reason: Demonstrating how to splint the incision with a pillow or folded blanket during coughing or deep breathing helps reduce pain and supports the surgical site. This promotes effective respiratory effort and prevents complications like pneumonia. Choice C reason: While requesting additional analgesia may be necessary, it does not address the immediate need for pain management during respiratory exercises. It also delays intervention. Choice D reason: Telling the patient that pain is expected invalidates their experience and does not provide a solution. It may reduce trust and compliance with necessary postoperative care.