A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client who has received treatment for kidney stones. The nurse should remind the client to increase intake of which of the following?

A. The tragus is a small projection of cartilage in front of the ear canal. Applying gentle pressure to the tragus after instilling ear drops helps to facilitate the passage of the drops into the ear canal. This action should not be avoided; rather, it is recommended to enhance the delivery of the medication.
B. Sterile gloves are not typically necessary for instilling ear drops unless the client has an open or infected ear canal. Using clean, non-sterile gloves or practicing proper hand hygiene is sufficient to maintain cleanliness during the procedure.
C. For an adult client, pulling the pinna (outer ear) upward and backward helps to straighten the ear canal. This allows the drops to flow easily into the ear canal rather than pooling in the outer ear or leaking out. This technique ensures that the medication reaches the target area effectively.
D. Chilling otic (ear) solutions is not recommended unless specifically instructed by the healthcare provider for therapeutic reasons (e.g., to soothe ear pain or inflammation). Cold solutions can cause discomfort or dizziness when instilled into the ear. Therefore, otic solutions are typically administered at room temperature to avoid these adverse effects.

A. Hypercalcemia can lead to muscle weakness and fatigue rather than hypotonicity. High calcium levels affect neuromuscular function, potentially causing muscle weakness and decreased muscle tone rather than increased flaccidity.
B. Chvostek's sign is a clinical sign of hypocalcemia, not hypercalcemia. It is characterized by facial muscle twitching in response to tapping the facial nerve just anterior to the ear. Therefore, a positive Chvostek's sign would not be expected in hypercalcemia.
C. Hypercalcemia can cause gastrointestinal disturbances such as constipation rather than diarrhea. High calcium levels can lead to decreased smooth muscle contractility in the intestines, resulting in constipation rather than increased motility leading to diarrhea.
D. Hypercalcemia can lead to a variety of cardiovascular effects, including arrhythmias. Tachycardia can occur as a result of increased sensitivity of the heart to catecholamines and altered electrical conductivity in hypercalcemia.