The home health nurse is caring for a patient with tactile and visual deficits. The nurse is concerned about injury related to inability to feel harmful stimuli and teaches the patient safety strategies to maintain independence. Which action by the patient indicates successful learning?

Choice A reason: Short naps (15-20 minutes) are recommended for narcolepsy to manage excessive daytime sleepiness without disrupting nighttime sleep. This aligns with evidence-based management, improving alertness. No intervention is needed, as this practice supports symptom control, enhancing daily function and reducing sleep attacks in narcolepsy patients.

Choice B reason: Taking antidepressants, like SSRIs or SNRIs, is standard for narcolepsy to manage cataplexy or sleep disturbances. This is appropriate and requires no intervention unless misuse occurs. The nurse would ensure proper dosing, as antidepressants support symptom control, improving quality of life without disrupting narcolepsy management strategies.

Choice C reason: Chewing gum regularly is benign and unrelated to narcolepsy management. It may help with alertness but doesn’t warrant intervention. Unlike environmental factors like room temperature, gum has no significant impact on sleep quality or narcolepsy symptoms, making it an irrelevant focus for nursing education or correction.

Choice D reason: Sleeping in a hot, stuffy room disrupts sleep quality, exacerbating narcolepsy symptoms like fragmented sleep or daytime sleepiness. The nurse intervenes to promote a cool, well-ventilated sleep environment, critical for optimizing rest. Poor sleep hygiene worsens narcolepsy, reducing treatment efficacy and increasing risks of sleep attacks or fatigue.

Choice A reason: Stating most preschoolers sleep soundly all night is inaccurate, as many experience disruptions like nightmares or bedtime resistance due to developmental stages. This oversimplification risks misleading parents, potentially causing frustration when addressing common sleep challenges, and may delay establishing effective bedtime routines critical for healthy sleep patterns.

Choice B reason: Preschoolers often struggle to settle down after busy days due to overstimulation or developmental changes affecting self-regulation. This accurate information helps parents anticipate challenges, encouraging consistent bedtime routines to promote restful sleep. Addressing this supports healthy sleep hygiene, critical for cognitive and emotional development in preschool-aged children.

Choice C reason: Preschoolers typically need 10-11 hours of sleep nightly, but stating exactly 10 hours is imprecise and overlooks individual variation. This risks setting rigid expectations, potentially causing parental concern if sleep needs differ. Accurate guidance focuses on flexible ranges and behavioral factors like settling difficulties for optimal sleep.

Choice D reason: Daily naps are not essential for all 5-year-olds, as many transition out of napping by this age, relying on nighttime sleep. Mandating naps risks disrupting nighttime rest or causing unnecessary parental pressure. Flexible guidance on sleep needs better supports preschoolers’ developmental changes and individual sleep patterns.