A nurse is caring for a client following placement of a sigmoid colostomy, in which of the following locations should the nurse expect to find a stoma? (You will find hot spots to select in the artwork below. Select only the hot spot that corresponds to your answer.

A. Peeling of the hands and feet: Desquamation of the hands and feet is commonly associated with conditions such as Kawasaki disease or scarlet fever during the healing phase. It is not a typical manifestation of pertussis.

B. Koplik spots: Koplik spots are small white lesions on the buccal mucosa that are characteristic of measles. They are not seen in pertussis and point toward a different viral illness.

C. Paroxysmal cough: Pertussis is characterized by severe, repetitive coughing spells that occur in rapid succession. These paroxysmal coughs may be followed by a high-pitched inspiratory “whoop” and can lead to vomiting or exhaustion.

D. Beefy, red tongue: A beefy red tongue is commonly associated with scarlet fever or other streptococcal infections. It is not a defining feature of pertussis.

A. The nurse opened the package of gauze toward their body: Opening a sterile package toward the body increases the risk of contaminating the contents. Sterile materials should always be opened away from the nurse to maintain sterility.

B. The nurse kept their hands above the waist during the dressing change: Keeping hands above the waist helps maintain the integrity of the sterile field. Anything below waist level is considered contaminated, so this action demonstrates proper sterile technique.

C. The nurse handled the sterile gauze with clean gloves on: Sterile gloves, not clean gloves, are required to handle sterile materials. Using clean gloves could introduce microorganisms and compromise sterility.

D. The nurse placed a bottle of saline on the sterile field: Only items that are sterile should be placed on the sterile field. Placing a non-sterile bottle of saline directly on the field can cause contamination.