Which action should a nurse prioritize when managing a patient on bedrest?

Prioritizing the action of changing the client's position at least every 2 hours is essential for managing a patient on bedrest due to several important factors. Prolonged bedrest can lead to complications such as pressure ulcers, musculoskeletal deconditioning, and venous stasis, which can ultimately result in deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Regularly changing the client's position helps to alleviate pressure on bony prominences, promoting circulation and minimizing the risk of skin breakdown. By repositioning every 2 hours, it ensures that the patient is frequently moved enough to stimulate blood flow and maintain skin integrity, making this a critical intervention for patients who have limited mobility.

While administering pain medication on a schedule, monitoring vital signs frequently, and changing position every 4 hours are all important nursing actions, they do not specifically address the prevention of complications arising from immobility as directly and proactively as repositioning every 2 hours does. Thus, the emphasis on frequent repositioning is a key aspect of nursing care for patients on bedrest.