When caring for a client on warfarin therapy, which symptom should the nurse instruct the client to report?

Instructing the client to report increased bruising while on warfarin therapy is particularly important because bruising can be a sign of bleeding, which poses a significant risk for individuals taking anticoagulants like warfarin. Warfarin works by inhibiting vitamin K-dependent clotting factors, which reduces the blood's ability to clot. As a result, clients on warfarin are at a heightened risk of experiencing bleeding complications, which can manifest as unusual or excessive bruising. Noticing an increase in bruising should prompt further evaluation to ensure the client's INR (international normalized ratio) is within the therapeutic range and to assess for other potential bleeding risks.

While dry mouth, nausea, and fatigue are symptoms that could arise in many different circumstances, they are not specifically associated with the risks presented by anticoagulation therapy. Therefore, they do not carry the same level of urgency as increased bruising, which directly indicates a potential problem with the client’s blood clotting ability.