You are a nurse on a medical/surgical unit who is caring for a patient with Grave’s Disease. The patient has just returned from a thyroidectomy. Which of the following statements from the patient would require further assessment by the nurse?

Tingling lips after a patient who received a thyroidectomy may indicate low calcium. During a thyroidectomy, it is possible to nick the parathyroid glands and have the parathyroid hormone production plummet, which will in turn fail to bring calcium out of the bones and into the bloodstream. A sore throat and hoarse voice are normal side effects.