A nurse is about to take a client’s oral temperature, but the client has just consumed some ice chips. What should the nurse do next?

Choice A rationale
Placing a 1-inch needle on the syringe is not appropriate for an intradermal injection such as a tuberculin skin test. Intradermal injections require a much shorter needle, typically 1/4 to 1/2 inch in length.
Choice B rationale
Holding the syringe at a 20° angle to the client’s skin is not correct for an intradermal injection. For an intradermal injection, the syringe should be held at a much shallower angle, typically about 5 to 15 degrees.
Choice C rationale

Drawing up 0.1 mL of purified protein derivative (PPD) from the vial is the correct action when preparing to administer a tuberculin skin test. This is the standard amount of PPD used for a tuberculin skin test.
Choice D rationale
Pinching the skin at the chosen site with the non-dominant hand before inserting the needle is not typically done for an intradermal injection. Instead, the skin is usually stretched taut to provide a flat surface for the injection.

Choice A rationale
The nurse should wait for 30 minutes and then measure the client’s oral temperature. Consuming cold substances like ice chips can temporarily lower the oral temperature, leading to inaccurate readings. Therefore, it’s recommended to wait for a period of time to allow the oral temperature to return to its normal state.
Choice B rationale
Proceeding to measure the client’s oral temperature immediately after consuming ice chips would likely result in an inaccurately low reading. The cold from the ice chips can temporarily lower the temperature in the mouth.
Choice C rationale
Documenting the inability to obtain an accurate reading of the client’s oral temperature is not the best action in this situation. While it’s important to document any factors that might affect the accuracy of a temperature reading, in this case, the nurse can simply wait a period of time after the client has consumed the ice chips before taking the oral temperature.
Choice D rationale
Providing the client a sip of warm water and waiting 5 minutes before measuring his oral temperature may not be sufficient to ensure an accurate temperature reading. The mouth needs adequate time to return to its normal temperature after consuming something cold.