A nurse at a pediatrician’s office answers a phone call from a parent whose child just ingested 15 vitamin tablets with added ferrous sulfate.

Which of the following instructions should the nurse give to the parent?

Choice A rationale
Smoothing the rough edges of the cast can help maintain skin integrity and prevent skin irritation or injury.
Choice C rationale
Monitoring capillary refill and color of nail beds of the left hand is important to assess the circulation to the hand and ensure that the cast is not too tight.
Choice D rationale
Monitoring for signs of pain can help detect complications such as compartment syndrome, which is a serious condition that can occur if pressure within the muscles builds to dangerous levels.
Choice E rationale
Assessing for numbness, tingling, or decreased sensation of the left hand is important as these can be signs of nerve damage or compression.
Choice B rationale
Wearing sterile gloves when touching or removing the cast is not typically necessary. The outside of a cast is not a sterile environment, and healthcare providers do not usually wear sterile gloves when handling it.

Choice A rationale
The goal of surgery for Hirschsprung disease is to remove the diseased section of the intestine and then pull the healthy portion of this organ down to the anus. This is typically achieved through a type of surgery called a pull-through procedure. In some cases, doctors recommend ostomy surgery of the bowel followed by a pull-through procedure. During ostomy surgery, surgeons create a stoma on a child’s abdomen and connect the stoma to the large or small intestine. After ostomy surgery, waste will leave the child’s body through the stoma. The stoma is usually temporary. In most cases, surgeons can later close the stoma and connect the healthy part of the intestine to the anus. Waste will move through the intestines, and stool will pass through the anus again. Therefore, the statement “I’m glad that the ostomy is only temporary” indicates understanding of the surgery’s goal.
Choice B rationale
The operation for Hirschsprung’s disease does not involve straightening out a kink in the intestine. Instead, it involves removing the part of the large intestine that is missing nerve cells and then connecting the healthy part of the large intestine to the anus.
Choice C rationale
The use of a feeding tube is not typically associated with the initial surgery for Hirschsprung’s disease. The surgery involves removing the diseased section of the intestine and then pulling the healthy portion of this organ down to the anus.
Choice D rationale
While the ultimate goal of the surgery is to enable normal bowel movements, it is important to note that about half of children may have ongoing problems after surgery. These problems may include constipation and, in some cases, other symptoms of intestinal obstruction, such as a swollen abdomen or vomiting.