A nurse is assessing a client on the first post-operative day after a L3-4 laminectomy and diskectomy. The client now complains of numbness and tingling in the left leg. What is the nurse's first priority?

The first priority is to assess whether the numbness and tingling in the left leg are new or a preexisting symptom. This helps identify if there are complications like nerve injury or issues with the surgical site. While documenting the findings is important, it's more critical to compare these new symptoms with preoperative findings to identify potential complications. Drawing blood for serum calcium is not directly relevant to the immediate issue of nerve symptoms after a laminectomy. Telling the client that the symptoms are normal could lead to delayed intervention if there is a more serious issue, like nerve damage or surgical complications.