A patient's carotid pulse is weak, and the nurse is preparing to auscultate the carotid for the presence of a bruit.
A bruit is a:

Choice A rationale

Asking the client to stick out their tongue and move it from side to side, then up and down, directly assesses the function of the hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII). This nerve innervates the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue, controlling its movement, which is essential for speech and swallowing, thereby evaluating its motor integrity.

Choice B rationale

Asking the client to stick out their tongue primarily assesses general tongue protrusion, but does not provide as comprehensive an assessment of hypoglossal nerve function as evaluating its full range of motion. Unilateral weakness or deviation, which is indicative of nerve damage, is better observed with side-to-side and up-and-down movements.

Choice C rationale

Asking the client to cover one eye and read a note card assesses visual acuity and the function of the optic nerve (cranial nerve II). This technique evaluates the eye's ability to perceive details and is unrelated to the motor function of the tongue or the hypoglossal nerve.

Choice D rationale

Having the patient smile, frown, and puff their cheeks primarily assesses the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII). This nerve controls the muscles of facial expression, including those involved in smiling, frowning, and puffing out the cheeks, and is distinct from the hypoglossal nerve's role in tongue movement.

Choice A rationale

Administering medication on an empty stomach generally promotes faster absorption due to several physiological factors. Without food, gastric emptying time is significantly reduced, meaning the drug spends less time in the stomach and moves more quickly into the small intestine, which is the primary site for nutrient and drug absorption. Furthermore, the absence of food also minimizes potential drug-food interactions that could chelate or bind the drug, thereby decreasing its bioavailability and absorption rate.

Choice B rationale

Enzymes in the colon primarily function in the digestion of undigested food components, particularly complex carbohydrates, through microbial fermentation. While some drug metabolism can occur via colonic microbiota, the colon is not a primary site for drug absorption, and enzymatic activity in the colon is not the main factor influencing the absorption rate of orally administered medications, especially in the initial stages after ingestion.

Choice C rationale

Taking a drug on an empty stomach typically accelerates absorption, not slows it. Food in the stomach can delay gastric emptying, dilute the drug concentration, and create a physical barrier that impedes contact with the absorptive surfaces of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, the presence of food is more likely to slow absorption.

Choice D rationale

Pancreatic enzymes, such as amylase, lipase, and proteases, are secreted into the duodenum to aid in the digestion of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, respectively. While these enzymes can interact with certain drugs, particularly protein-based medications, they are primarily involved in digestion rather than direct neutralization of most orally administered drugs in a manner that would significantly alter absorption on an empty stomach.