A nurse caring for a client with acute peritonitis reviews the physician's orders. The orders include an NPO diet, insertion of a nasogastric tube set to low intermittent suction, and IV fluids at 50 mL per hour. When asked why he will need the NG tube, what is the nurse's best reply?

Choice A Reason: A virus is not detected by the KOH test, which is used to diagnose fungal infections of the skin, hair, or nails. A virus can be detected by other tests, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or viral culture.

Choice B Reason: A fungal infection is detected by the KOH test, which dissolves the skin cells and leaves behind the fungal elements that can be seen under a microscope. A fungal infection can cause symptoms such as itching, scaling, redness, or blisters.

Choice C Reason: A bacterial infection is not detected by the KOH test, which is specific for fungi. A bacterial infection can be detected by other tests, such as gram stain or culture.

Choice D Reason: Cancer is not detected by the KOH test, which is not a screening tool for malignancy. Cancer can be detected by other tests, such as biopsy or imaging.

Choice A reason: This is incorrect because it is necessary to remove contact lenses before administering medications. Contact lenses can absorb or interfere with the absorption of eye drops and cause irritation or infection. The nurse should instruct the client to remove contact lenses before applying eye drops and wait at least 15 minutes before reinserting them.
Choice B reason: This is incorrect because administering the medications by touching the tip of the dropper to the sclera of the eye can cause contamination or injury. The sclera is the white part of the eye that covers most of the eyeball. The nurse should instruct the client to avoid touching the tip of the dropper to any part of the eye or eyelid and hold it about 1 cm above the lower eyelid.
Choice C reason: This is correct because administering the medications 5 min apart can prevent dilution or washout of one medication by another. Timolol and pilocarpine are two different types of eye drops that are used to treat open-angle glaucoma, which is a condition that causes increased pressure inside the eye and damage to the optic nerve. Timolol is a beta-blocker that reduces the production of fluid in the eye, and pilocarpine is a cholinergic agent that increases the drainage of fluid from the eye. The nurse should instruct the client to apply one drop of each medication in the affected eye(s) and wait at least 5 minutes between each medication.
Choice D reason: This is incorrect because holding pressure on the conjunctival sac for 2 min following the application of eye drops can reduce systemic absorption and side effects of eye drops. The conjunctival sac is the space between the lower eyelid and the eyeball. The nurse should instruct the client to gently close their eyes after applying eye drops and press their index finger against the inner corner of their eye for 2 minutes. This can block the tear duct that drains fluid from the eye to the nose and prevent it from entering the bloodstream.