A patient is in a withdrawn catatonic state and exhibits waxy flexibility. During the initial phase of hospitalization for this patient, the nurse's first priority is to: Watch for edema and cyanosis of the extremities. Encourage the patient to discuss concerns that led to the catatonic state. Provide a warm, nurturing relationship, with therapeutic use of touch. Identify the predisposing factors in the illness. Circulation may be severely impaired in a patient with waxy flexibility who tends to remain motionless for hours unless moved. Answer 2 is not the first priority. "Touch" is not used in this stage, as in Answer 3. Answer 4 is incorrect because the patient is mute and also because intellectual discussion of predisposing factors ignores the feelings of the patient. Note the key words: "first priority."