An elderly patient who lives in a skilled nursing facility and who likes to walk is taking a medication that lowers blood pressure by dilating blood vessels. The best nursing action for this patient is to:

Choice A reason: Bed rest increases clot risk and deconditioning; vasodilators lower pressure, but mobility is beneficial unless contraindicated, making this overly restrictive. Choice B reason: Assisting ambulation helps, but it’s less proactive; it doesn’t address orthostatic hypotension risks at initiation of movement, where falls are most likely. Choice C reason: Monitoring intake/output tracks fluid status, not directly addressing vasodilation’s hypotensive effects during position changes, missing the primary safety concern. Choice D reason: Rising slowly counters orthostatic hypotension from vasodilation; it allows autoregulation to stabilize pressure, reducing fall risk in an active elderly patient.