A nurse is caring for client who has difficulty swallowing medications and is prescribed enteric-coated aspirin PO once daily. The client asks the medication can be crushed to make it easier to swallow. Which of the following responses should the nurse provide?

A) Researcher:
The nurse is gathering evidence-based practice (EBP) on catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), which involves systematically collecting, analyzing, and reviewing existing studies or guidelines to inform clinical practice. This is the role of the researcher in EBP. Nurses in this role contribute to improving patient outcomes by identifying best practices, assessing existing evidence, and implementing findings to reduce complications, such as CAUTIs.

B) Nurse manager:
While a nurse manager may oversee quality improvement projects, staffing, and other operational aspects of nursing care, they are not typically the ones actively gathering evidence-based data themselves. Nurse managers may utilize the findings from research but are not directly involved in the research process unless leading specific studies.
C) Case manager:
A case manager primarily coordinates care for individual patients, ensuring they receive the appropriate resources and follow-up care. They help manage the continuity of care across different settings but do not focus on gathering or researching evidence for clinical practices. Their role is more focused on patient outcomes and care delivery rather than generating evidence.

D) Educator:
While an educator might be involved in teaching staff or patients about preventing CAUTI, the role described in the question specifically refers to gathering evidence-based practice information. Educators may use research findings in their teaching, but gathering evidence is a distinct activity that fits the role of the researcher in EBP.

A) Muscle mass:
Passive range of motion (ROM) exercises do not directly increase muscle mass. These exercises primarily help maintain joint function and flexibility rather than build muscle tissue, which requires active resistance exercises and strength training.

B) Bone density:
While weight-bearing activities can help improve bone density, passive ROM exercises do not have a significant impact on bone density. Passive ROM helps preserve joint function and flexibility but does not address the strengthening of bones.

C) Joint flexibility:
Passive ROM exercises are specifically designed to improve and maintain joint flexibility. These exercises involve the nurse or caregiver moving the client’s joints through their full range of motion without the client’s active participation. The goal is to maintain or increase the joint's flexibility and prevent stiffness, especially in patients who are unable to move their limbs actively, such as those who have had a stroke.

D) Muscle strength:
Passive ROM does not increase muscle strength because the client is not actively engaging their muscles. Muscle strength is built through active movements or resistance exercises, where the client’s muscles work against a force. Passive ROM helps maintain joint mobility, not muscle strength.