When performing a breast examination, the nurse knows that it is especially important to examine the upper, outer quadrant of the breast.
The reason for this is that the upper outer quadrant is:

Choice A rationale

A positive Romberg sign is indicated when a patient, asked to stand with feet together and arms at their side with eyes closed, sways significantly or loses balance. This suggests a deficit in proprioception, which is the sense of one's body position in space, as visual input cannot compensate for the impaired proprioceptive feedback to maintain equilibrium.

Choice B rationale

Homans' sign is a clinical indicator for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), assessed by dorsiflexing the foot and observing for calf pain. A negative Homans' sign means no pain is present, and it is unrelated to balance or coordination assessment.

Choice C rationale

Lack of coordination is a general term that could encompass various motor deficits, but "ataxia" is a more specific neurological term for impaired coordination. While swaying and moving feet apart demonstrate a lack of coordination, documenting it as a positive Romberg sign provides a more precise and diagnostically relevant finding in this specific context.

Choice D rationale

Ataxia refers to impaired coordination of voluntary movements, often appearing as clumsiness, inaccuracy, or instability. While the patient's actions exhibit ataxia, the specific maneuver performed (standing with eyes closed) and the resulting sway are characteristic of a positive Romberg sign, which points to a proprioceptive or vestibular deficit.

Choice A rationale

The dorsogluteal site is generally not recommended for intramuscular injections of 2.5 mL, especially in children or patients with less developed muscle mass, due to the significant risk of sciatic nerve injury and variable muscle depth. Ventrogluteal is preferred for larger volumes.

Choice B rationale

The abdomen is primarily used for subcutaneous injections, not intramuscular injections due to its composition primarily of adipose tissue and lack of substantial muscle mass. Injecting 2.5 mL intramuscularly into the abdomen would be painful, ineffective, and potentially harmful.

Choice C rationale

The ventrogluteal site is a safe and preferred intramuscular injection site, capable of accommodating volumes up to 2.5 mL due to its thick gluteus medius and minimus muscles, far from major nerves and blood vessels, reducing the risk of complications.

Choice D rationale

The vastus lateralis muscle is a large, well-developed muscle, making it a suitable site for intramuscular injections of 2.5 mL, particularly in adults and children. Its accessibility and distance from major nerves make it a safe option for medication administration.

Choice E rationale

The deltoid muscle can accommodate intramuscular injections of up to 2 mL in adults, making it an acceptable site for 2.5 mL if the muscle mass is adequately developed. However, care must be taken to avoid the radial nerve and ensure proper needle length.