A nurse in the clinic is providing information to a client who has mastitis of the left breast. The client asks the nurse. "Does this mean that I must stop nursing my baby?" Which of the following is an appropriate statement by the nurse?

A. Collecting a urine specimen: This task is routine, noninvasive, and does not require nursing judgment, making it appropriate for delegation to assistive personnel. APs are trained to obtain clean-catch or routine urine specimens while following proper technique. Delegating this task allows the nurse to focus on interventions requiring professional judgment.

B. Measuring a client's pain level: Pain assessment requires clinical judgment and involves interpreting verbal and nonverbal cues. Determining the severity, characteristics, and impact of pain is a nursing responsibility. Because it directly influences clinical decisions and interventions, it cannot be delegated to assistive personnel.

C. Monitoring blood glucose levels: Although APs in some settings may perform point-of-care glucose checks, this task generally requires specific training and competency validation. Interpretation of results and subsequent actions rely on nursing assessment, making it less appropriate for routine delegation unless the facility has clear protocols allowing it.

D. Adjusting the flow rate of a client's oxygen tank: Oxygen therapy adjustment involves evaluating the client’s respiratory status and making changes that can affect ventilation and oxygenation. Altering flow rates requires nursing judgment to ensure safety and prevent complications such as hypoxia or CO₂ retention.

A. Homan's sign: Homan’s sign is assessed by dorsiflexing the foot to check for calf pain and is used to evaluate for deep vein thrombosis. It is not relevant for diagnosing or assessing meningitis.

B. Trousseau's sign: Trousseau’s sign involves inflating a blood pressure cuff to elicit carpal spasm and is used to assess for hypocalcemia. It is unrelated to meningitis assessment.

C. Brudzinski's sign: Brudzinski’s sign is assessed by flexing the client’s neck; involuntary hip and knee flexion indicates meningeal irritation. This is a classic and important clinical sign in clients with meningitis.

D. Chvostek's sign: Chvostek’s sign is elicited by tapping the facial nerve to assess for hypocalcemia. It is not associated with meningitis assessment and is not relevant in this context.