A male adolescent comes to the clinic reporting severe testicular pain that started during a high school football practice. The nurse notes significant redness and swelling of the scrotum. What should the nurse do next?

Choice A rationale
While physical therapy can be beneficial for many pediatric patients, it may not be the most appropriate intervention for a newborn who has had gastroschisis repair and is on parenteral nutrition and continuous enteral feedings. The focus at this stage should be on promoting normal growth and development, and physical therapy may not directly contribute to this goal.
Choice B rationale
Offering a pacifier for non-nutritive sucking can be an effective strategy to promote normal growth and development in infants who have had gastroschisis repair. Non-nutritive sucking can help stimulate the sucking reflex, which is important for feeding and growth. Therefore, the nurse should include this action in the plan of care.
Choice C rationale
Confirming the placement of the enteral tube with an abdominal x-ray is an important part of care for infants on continuous enteral feedings. However, this action is more related to ensuring the safety and effectiveness of the feeding process rather than promoting the infant’s normal growth and development.
Choice D rationale
Using sterile technique during feedings is a standard practice to prevent infection, especially in infants who are on parenteral nutrition and continuous enteral feedings. However, this action does not directly promote the infant’s normal growth and development.

The correct answer is: C

Choice A reason: Comparing the child’s vital signs over the past three weeks could provide data on any changes in his physical health status. However, without additional context, this information alone may not be sufficient to determine the cause of his symptoms. Vital signs are typically within the following ranges for a healthy 10-year-old: temperature 97.8°F to 99.1°F (36.5°C to 37.3°C), pulse 70 to 110 beats per minute, respirations 17 to 22 breaths per minute, and blood pressure 90/60 mmHg to 120/80 mmHg.

Choice B reason: Counseling the parents to pay more attention to the child might be helpful if the child’s symptoms are due to emotional neglect or lack of parental involvement. However, this intervention assumes that the parents are not attentive without evidence and does not directly address the child’s reported symptoms.

Choice C reason: Asking the boy to describe a typical day at school is a non-invasive way to gather more information about potential stressors or issues that could be contributing to his symptoms. This approach can help identify if the symptoms are related to school environment, bullying, academic pressure, or other psychosocial factors.

Choice D reason: Conducting a complete neurological assessment would be appropriate if there were specific indications of neurological issues. Since the boy’s symptoms are non-specific and could be related to a variety of causes, including stress or anxiety, a neurological assessment might not be the most immediate step without further evidence suggesting a neurological cause.