A nurse is preparing a care plan for a patient who is about to receive a transfusion of packed red blood cells. What should be the maximum duration for the total infusion time?

Choice C rationale
Hepatic encephalopathy is a condition that can cause confusion or delirium in patients with end-stage liver disease and increasing ascites. It occurs when the liver is unable to remove toxins from the blood, such as ammonia, which can then accumulate in the brain and affect mental function. This condition is common in patients with cirrhosis or end-stage liver disease, and can manifest as confusion, changes in sleep patterns, mood alterations, and, in severe cases, coma.
Choice A rationale
While dementia can cause confusion and changes in mental status, it is typically a progressive condition that develops over time. In the context of a patient with end-stage liver failure and

increasing ascites who is usually lucid, a sudden onset of confusion or delirium is more likely to be due to a condition related to their liver disease, such as hepatic encephalopathy.
Choice B rationale
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, sense of self, and behavior. It is not typically associated with end-stage liver disease or ascites. In the context of a patient with end-stage liver failure and increasing ascites who is usually lucid, a sudden onset of confusion or delirium is more likely to be due to a condition related to their liver disease, such as hepatic encephalopathy.
Choice D rationale
While a urinary tract infection (UTI) can cause confusion, especially in older adults, it would not typically be the primary suspect in a patient with end-stage liver failure and increasing ascites. In such a patient, hepatic encephalopathy is a more likely cause of confusion or delirium.

Choice A rationale
While dietary iron restrictions can contribute to iron-deficiency anemia, they are not typically a symptom of ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that primarily affects the colon and rectum, and its symptoms are generally related to inflammation and damage in these areas.
Choice B rationale
Chronic blood loss is a common symptom of ulcerative colitis and a major contributing factor to the development of anemia in these patients. This is because the inflammation and ulceration in the colon and rectum can lead to bleeding, which over time can result in a significant loss of red blood cells.
Choice C rationale
Frequent diarrhea is a common symptom of ulcerative colitis, but it does not directly contribute to the development of anemia. However, severe or prolonged diarrhea can lead to malnutrition and malabsorption of nutrients, including iron, which could indirectly contribute to anemia.
Choice D rationale

Abdominal pain is a common symptom of ulcerative colitis, but it does not directly contribute to the development of anemia. The pain is typically caused by inflammation and ulceration in the colon and rectum, not by a loss of red blood cells.