An adult client with pericarditis is exhibiting muffled heart sounds. The client is diagnosed with cardiac tamponade, and a pericardiocentesis is scheduled. Prior to the procedure, it is most important for the nurse to implement which intervention?

A. Evaluate complete blood cell counts: While baseline labs, including CBC, are useful, they are not the immediate priority before a pericardiocentesis. These values provide general health data but do not guide acute decision-making for cardiac tamponade. B. Assess for paradoxical pulse: A paradoxical pulse an exaggerated drop in systolic blood pressure during inspiration is a hallmark sign of cardiac tamponade. Recognizing this finding helps confirm clinical suspicion and prioritize urgent intervention. C. Discontinue anticoagulants: Stopping anticoagulants is important to prevent bleeding during the procedure, this must be done under provider guidance and may not be feasible if the situation is emergent. It is a safety consideration but not the most urgent nursing action. D. Monitor central venous pressure (CVP): CVP monitoring can reflect rising intrapericardial pressure in tamponade but often requires invasive access and may not be immediately available. It provides supportive data, but clinical signs such as paradoxical pulse offer more immediate diagnostic relevance.