A 78-year-old male is recovering on an orthopedic care unit…
A 78-year-old male is recovering on an orthopedic care unit after an open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of the right hip 2 days ago. The client has a history of right hip fracture, hyperthyroidism, and bilateral cataracts. He is retired, unmarried, and lives alone. His daughter lives 4 hours from the hospital. She has not visited but calls daily for updates. At 7:00 a.m. (0720), the night nurse provides hand-off report to the oncoming nurse at the bedside. The client participates in this report, denies pain, and shares that he is ready to move to a rehabilitation facility. Thirty minutes later, the nurse returns to complete a shift assessment and notices the client is lethargic, his speech is slurred and he is drooling from the left side of his mouth. The nurse documents the following assessment findings. Temperature 98.8° F (37.1° C) HR 110 beats/min, irregular rhythm BP 155/99 mm Hg RR 22 breaths/min O2 saturation 97% on room air Oriented to person only Dysarthria PERRLA Left side hemiplegia and ptosis Capillary blood glucose 88 mg/dL (4.89 mmol/L) What is the most likely explanation for the client’s current condition?