A nurse is reinforcing teaching about carbohydrate counting with a client who has a new diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Use pictures of different food groups to help the client plan a daily menu.
Ask the client what they already know about meal planning.
Give the client a brochure with sample menus for all meals.
Involve the family in the discussion of the client's meal plan.
The Correct Answer is B
The correct answer is choice B: Ask the client what they already know about meal planning.
Choice A rationale:
Using pictures of different food groups can be helpful in teaching about carbohydrate counting, but it's important to assess the client's current knowledge and understanding before introducing new information. Starting with this approach might overwhelm the client or duplicate information they already possess.
Choice B rationale:
This is the correct choice. Before providing education, it's crucial to assess the client's baseline knowledge. By asking the client what they already know about meal planning, the nurse can tailor the teaching plan to fill in any gaps and avoid presenting redundant information. This approach respects the client's current understanding and focuses on addressing their specific needs.
Choice C rationale:
Giving the client a brochure with sample menus can be helpful once the nurse has assessed the client's knowledge and educational needs. However, providing the brochure as the first action might not be effective if the client already has some understanding of meal planning or if the brochure does not address the client's specific questions.
Choice D rationale:
Involving the family in the discussion of the client's meal plan is important for long-term support, but it shouldn't be the first action. First, the nurse should ensure that the client's own understanding and preferences are addressed before considering input from family members.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
The correct answer is choice D. The client has tenderness and warmth in their calf.
Choice A rationale:
The client's self-reported incisional pain level of 7 on a scale of 0 to 10 is important information to assess postoperative recovery, but it is not the priority finding to report among the choices. Pain management is crucial, but potential complications that could be more urgent should be addressed first.
Choice B rationale:
Increased nausea and chills are concerning postoperative findings, but they could be related to the body's response to surgery, anesthesia, or pain medications. While these symptoms should be monitored and managed, they are not as high-priority as potential complications involving the calf.
Choice C rationale:
An oral temperature of 38.5°C (101.3°F) indicates a fever and is also a concerning finding in the postoperative period. Infection could be a possible cause, and the provider should be informed. However, compared to tenderness and warmth in the calf, which could suggest deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the fever is of slightly lower priority.
Choice D rationale:
Tenderness and warmth in the calf are the priority findings to report. These symptoms raise concern about the possibility of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a serious complication after surgery. DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, commonly in the legs. If left untreated, it can lead to a pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening condition where the clot travels to the lungs. Immediate assessment and intervention are necessary to rule out or address this potentially critical complication.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
The correct answer is Choice A - Measure the client's gastric residual before each feeding.
Choice A rationale:
The nurse's first action in caring for a client receiving intermittent enteral feedings should be to measure the client's gastric residual before each feeding. Gastric residual volume helps assess the client's tolerance to enteral feedings and can indicate delayed gastric emptying or potential complications like aspiration. If the residual volume is high, the nurse can collaborate with the healthcare team to determine whether to hold the feeding, adjust the feeding rate, or take other appropriate actions to ensure the client's safety and optimal nutritional status.
Choice B rationale:
Changing the enteral feeding bag and tubing every 24 hours is important to maintain the sterility and integrity of the feeding system. However, it is not the first action the nurse should take. The priority is to assess the client's tolerance to the feeding by measuring gastric residuals, which helps prevent complications.
Choice C rationale:
Documenting intake and output is a crucial aspect of nursing care for all clients, including those receiving enteral feedings. However, in the context of intermittent enteral feedings, measuring gastric residuals before each feeding is a more immediate and specific action to ensure the client's safety and well-being.
Choice D rationale:
Flushing the tubing with 30 mL of water after each feeding is important to prevent clogging and maintain the patency of the enteral feeding tube. However, this action is secondary to measuring gastric residuals, which directly assesses the client's tolerance to the feedings and helps prevent complications.
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