A nurse is caring for a child who has been diagnosed with malignant neuroblastoma. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

A. The absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is the best indicator of a child's ability to fight infection. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell crucial for fighting bacterial infections, and chemotherapy can suppress bone marrow production of neutrophils. The ANC helps assess the risk for infection and the need for additional precautions, such as infection control.

B. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that primarily respond to allergies and parasitic infections, and their count is not used to assess infection risk in chemotherapy patients.

C. The red blood cell count (RBC) is important for assessing oxygen-carrying capacity but does not directly relate to infection-fighting ability.

D. Hemoglobin (Hgb) reflects the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, not the body's ability to fight infection.

A. "Nurses should ignore the guilt they feel when a child dies." This statement reflects an unhealthy response to grief. Nurses should acknowledge and process their feelings of guilt, rather than ignoring them, to maintain emotional well-being and provide appropriate care.

B. "The family members should be made aware that the nurse is experiencing anticipatory grief." While nurses may experience anticipatory grief, it is not appropriate to burden the family with the nurse’s own emotional experiences. Nurses should maintain professional boundaries and provide support for the family without disclosing personal grief.

C. "It is unexpected for you to be personally involved with the client and their family." This statement suggests emotional detachment, which can be counterproductive in palliative care. Nurses may form emotional connections, but they should manage their emotional responses appropriately. It’s important to balance emotional involvement with professional boundaries.

D. "Nurses should participate in grief and death education to resolve grief." This statement is correct. Nurses need education on grief and death to understand their emotional responses and help process them effectively. Education helps nurses to support their patients and families while managing their own emotions in a professional way.