A nurse is caring for a client who is using a continuous passive motion (CPM) machine following a total knee arthroplasty. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Choice A reason: Instructing the client to avoid eating raw vegetables may be a precautionary measure due to potential immunosuppression from AIDS, but it does not directly demonstrate advocacy. Advocacy would involve actions that support the client's rights, choices, and interests, and while dietary advice is important, it is not an advocacy action in itself.

Choice B reason: Initiating a referral for the client to a home health agency is a clear demonstration of client advocacy. This action shows that the nurse is taking steps to ensure the client receives the necessary support to manage their condition at home, respecting their wish to maintain independence and quality of life.

Choice C reason: Reminding the client of the importance of medication adherence is part of the nurse's educational role but does not necessarily reflect advocacy. Advocacy would involve more proactive measures to support the client's treatment and care decisions.

Choice D reason: Telling the client to avoid places where there are large crowds of people is good advice to reduce the risk of infections, but it is not an advocacy action. Advocacy involves representing the client's interests and facilitating their choices and access to care.

Choice A reason: While wearing gloves is a standard precaution to prevent contamination and protect the nurse from potential pathogens, the gloves used for collecting a guaiac smear sample do not need to be sterile. Clean, non-sterile gloves are typically sufficient for this procedure.

Choice B reason: It is crucial to discard any samples that contain urine because urine can interfere with the results of the fecal occult blood test (FOBT). The presence of urine can cause false positives due to the peroxidase activity in urine, which can lead to unnecessary further testing.

Choice C reason: Collecting three samples from a single bowel movement is not recommended. Instead, it is advised to collect samples from three separate bowel movements to increase the likelihood of detecting intermittent bleeding, which is common in conditions like colorectal cancer.

Choice D reason: Taking the sample from the outer edge of formed stool is not the best practice. The sample should be taken from different areas of the stool to ensure a representative sample, as blood may not be uniformly distributed throughout the stool.