What does the nurse need to emphasize to a client prescribed tamsulosin?

When a nurse is educating a client prescribed tamsulosin, it is crucial to emphasize that the client may experience postural hypotension, which can lead to dizziness or fainting upon standing up quickly. This medication is an alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist primarily used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and works by relaxing the muscles in the prostate and bladder neck, which can affect blood pressure regulation.

Informing the client to change positions slowly instead of quickly helps mitigate the risk of falls or injuries due to sudden drops in blood pressure upon standing. Awareness of this potential side effect is essential for promoting safety and ensuring the client understands how to manage any related symptoms effectively.

In contrast, while tamsulosin can cause increased urination frequency, it does not commonly change urine color, nor is there any restriction regarding calcium-containing foods. Thus, these other considerations do not address the most pertinent safety aspect of using this medication.