A nurse in a provider's office is reviewing data from a client's medical record.
Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease?

Choice A rationale

Administering vaginal cream is a medication administration task requiring knowledge and skills within the licensed nurse's scope of practice. Assistive personnel (AP) are not authorized to perform this procedure due to the potential for complications and the need for clinical judgment.

Choice B rationale

Providing postmortem care is a task that AP can perform as it involves basic care activities, such as bathing and positioning, which do not require specialized nursing skills. This allows the nurse to focus on more complex patient needs.

Choice C rationale

Suctioning a tracheostomy is a procedure that requires clinical assessment and intervention skills. Due to the potential for complications, it is within the licensed nurse's scope of practice, not the AP's.

Choice D rationale

Changing a peripheral IV dressing involves assessment skills and requires sterile technique to prevent infection. This task is beyond the scope of practice for AP and should be performed by a licensed nurse.

Choice A rationale

Avoid placing toilet tissue in the bedpan after defecation to prevent contamination of the stool specimen. Toilet tissue can introduce foreign substances that may interfere with lab results.

Choice B rationale

Urinate after the specimen collection is incorrect because urine can contaminate the stool sample. The client should urinate before collecting the stool specimen to avoid mixing the two.

Choice C rationale

Placing 1.3 cm (0.5 in) of formed stool into a culture tube is insufficient for a proper stool sample. Typically, a larger sample is needed to ensure enough material is available for testing.

Choice D rationale

Keeping the specimen in a warm area is incorrect because stool samples should be kept in a cool environment to preserve the integrity of the specimen until it can be analyzed.