A patient undergoes an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of the femur. On postoperative day 2, the nurse notes a sudden drop in hemoglobin from 10.2 to 7.1 g/dL with tachycardia. The priority nursing action is:
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A
Encourage oral iron supplementation
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B
Increase IV fluid infusion rate and notify the surgeon
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C
Recheck the hemoglobin in 4 hours
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D
Elevate both legs to promote venous return