A nurse is discussing the changing demographics of the US population. What is expected to be the fastest growing racial/ethnic group by 2060?

Choice A reason: Placing colored stickers on faucet handles helps the patient with visual and tactile deficits identify hot and cold water, reducing burn risk. This action demonstrates successful learning of a safety strategy, promoting independence by compensating for sensory impairments and preventing injury from harmful stimuli.

Choice B reason: Using a heating pad, even on low, is risky for a patient with tactile deficits, as they may not feel burns. This does not reflect safe learning, as it increases injury risk rather than mitigating it, making it an incorrect indicator of successful safety strategy adoption.

Choice C reason: Asking the nurse to test water temperature relies on external assistance, not independence. While safe, it does not demonstrate the patient’s ability to manage risks autonomously, which is the goal of the teaching. This action indicates partial understanding, making it less correct.

Choice D reason: Replacing lace-up shoes with Velcro straps improves ease but does not address injury risk from harmful stimuli like heat. This action is unrelated to tactile or visual deficits’ safety concerns, making it an incorrect indicator of successful learning for the taught safety strategies.

Choice A reason: Immediate intubation is premature without first reversing opioid-induced respiratory depression with naloxone. Morphine’s rapid onset of lethargy and shallow breathing (7 breaths/min) indicates overdose, reversible by naloxone. Intubation is invasive and reserved for non-responsive cases, risking unnecessary complications when reversal is feasible, delaying targeted treatment in this acute scenario.

Choice B reason: Administering naloxone is the priority for opioid overdose, as evidenced by lethargy and respiratory depression (7 breaths/min) post-morphine. Naloxone, an opioid antagonist, rapidly reverses these life-threatening effects, restoring breathing and consciousness. Prompt administration is critical in older adults, who are more sensitive to opioids, ensuring patient safety and preventing hypoxia or death.

Choice C reason: Observing for opioid tolerance is inappropriate in this acute situation. Lethargy and shallow breathing indicate overdose, not tolerance, requiring immediate naloxone. Monitoring tolerance delays critical intervention, risking prolonged hypoxia, brain damage, or death, especially in an elderly patient with increased opioid sensitivity post-surgery, where respiratory depression is life-threatening.

Choice D reason: Assessing pain level is irrelevant when the patient exhibits opioid overdose symptoms like lethargy and respiratory depression. Pain assessment is secondary to reversing life-threatening respiratory compromise with naloxone. Delaying intervention for pain evaluation risks patient deterioration, as immediate action is needed to restore breathing and stabilize the patient post-morphine administration.