A nurse is caring for a client who is HIV positive and is one day postoperative following an appendectomy. The nurse should wear a gown as personal protective equipment when taking which of the following actions?

The correct answer is B: Completing a dressing change. When performing a dressing change on a postoperative client who is HIV positive, there is a risk of exposure to the client's blood or bodily fluids. Wearing a gown as personal protective equipment helps to protect the nurse from potential contact with infectious materials during the procedure. Administering an IM injection (choice A) typically does not require a gown unless there is a risk of splashing. Administering an intermittent IV bolus medication (choice C) may require gloves but not necessarily a gown. Talking to the client at the bedside (choice D) does not warrant the use of a gown unless there is a specific risk of exposure to bodily fluids during the conversation.