The practical nurse (PN) is planning evening shift rounds for a group of postoperative clients who all had surgery earlier that day. Which client should the PN check first?

A. A preschooler who had an emergency appendectomy for appendicitis: Emergency surgery increases the risk of postoperative complications such as bleeding, infection, or peritonitis. Young children are also more vulnerable to rapid changes in condition, making this client the highest priority for early assessment. B. An adult with osteomyelitis who had a necrotic bone fragment removed in the foot: While this client requires monitoring for infection and pain, the procedure is less emergent and the risk of rapid deterioration is lower than that of a child recovering from emergency abdominal surgery. C. A post-menopausal client with breast cancer who had a right breast lumpectomy: This client is generally stable post-lumpectomy, with lower immediate risk for life-threatening complications. Routine monitoring and wound care are appropriate without urgent assessment. D. An adolescent with type 1 diabetes who had an open cholecystectomy: Although glucose levels must be monitored, the adolescent is generally stable postoperatively if there are no immediate signs of hypoglycemia, infection, or surgical complications.