To assess for hypocalcemia, which action reflects the nurse's understanding of how to check for Trousseau's sign?

To assess for hypocalcemia using Trousseau's sign, inflating a blood pressure cuff on the client's arm and observing for a specific response is key. When the cuff is inflated above the systolic blood pressure, it can induce spasms of the muscles in the hand and forearm due to transient ischemia, particularly in cases of low calcium levels. This response is characterized by the hand and fingers curling inward (known as carpopedal spasm), which indicates that muscle irritability is heightened due to hypocalcemia. This clinical sign is a classic and critical part of the assessment for hypocalcemia.

Other actions mentioned, such as tapping on the cheek to assess for facial twitching, are related to another sign known as Chvostek's sign, which also indicates hypocalcemia but is distinct from Trousseau's sign. Measuring serum calcium levels, while essential for confirming hypocalcemia, does not assess the physical signs of the condition directly. Checking the patellar reflex does not provide specific information about calcium levels and does not relate to the assessment of hypocalcemia in the same way.