A client has a history of gastric bypass surgery within the past year. She presents to her primary care office for a check-up and states she has been troubled by several seemingly unrelated ailments: a sore tongue, tingling in her fingers, and “almost” falling several times due to lack of balance. The nurse notes that she is pale and slightly tachycardic.
Which type of anemia does the nurse suspect?

This is because heat loss by conduction occurs when two objects with different temperatures come into direct contact with each other. The baby’s skin would lose heat to the cold scale by conduction if there was no warm blanket between them.

Choice A is wrong because closing doors and windows to prevent draft (current of air with motion) would prevent heat loss by convection, not conduction. Convection is the transfer of heat from a body to moving molecules such as air or liquid.

Choice B is wrong because keeping a hat on the baby’s head would prevent heat loss by radiation, not conduction. Radiation is the transfer of heat from a body to the surroundings by electromagnetic waves.

Choice C is wrong because thoroughly drying infant after a bath would prevent heat loss by evaporation, not conduction. Evaporation is the process of liquid changing into gas and carrying away heat from the body surface.

These are some of the criteria used to assist in making the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2015 report.

Choice B is wrong because recent exposure to influenza is not a criterion for CFS diagnosis. Although some cases of CFS may be triggered by viral infections, such as Epstein-Barr virus or human herpes virus 6, there is no specific evidence that influenza causes CFS.

Choice A is correct because CFS is not caused by a primary condition. CFS is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that other possible causes of fatigue, such as sleep disorders, anemia, diabetes, thyroid problems, or mental health issues, must be ruled out before making the diagnosis.

Choice C is correct because unrefreshing sleep is one of the required symptoms for CFS diagnosis. Patients with CFS may not feel better or less tired even after a full night of sleep despite the absence of specific objective sleep alterations. Choice D is correct because fatigue that is not relieved by stress reduction is another required symptom for CFS diagnosis. Patients with CFS experience post-exertional malaise (PEM), which means that their symptoms worsen after physical, mental, or emotional exertion that would not have caused a problem before the illness.

Choice E is correct because severe tiredness for 2 months or more is one of the additional manifestations that must be present for CFS diagnosis. The IOM 2015 report states that the fatigue associated with CFS must last for more than 6 months and occur at least half the time at moderate, substantial or severe intensity.