The nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with septic shock. Which finding would lead the nurse to suspect the client is developing disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)?

A. Polycythemia is an increased red blood cell count and is not associated with DIC. It does not reflect the coagulation abnormalities seen in disseminated intravascular coagulation. B. Thrombocytosis is an elevated platelet count, whereas DIC is characterized by platelet consumption leading to thrombocytopenia, not an increase in platelets. C. Bicarbonate levels are a marker of acid-base balance. In DIC, metabolic acidosis may occur secondary to tissue hypoxia, but bicarbonate itself is not a direct indicator of DIC. D. DIC is a disorder of systemic coagulation activation, causing widespread clot formation and consumption of clotting factors, including fibrinogen. A low fibrinogen level is a classic laboratory finding and suggests that the client is developing or has developed DIC. Other signs may include prolonged PT/PTT, thrombocytopenia, and increased D-dimer.