A nurse is caring for an infant who has gastroenteritis. Which of the following assessment findings should the nurse report to the provider?

The correct answer is Choice A.

Choice A rationale: “What are the voices telling you?” This is the priority response because it directly addresses the client’s immediate concern. The nurse is acknowledging the client’s experience and seeking to understand more about it. This can help the nurse assess the potential for harm to the client or others, as the voices may be instructing the client to engage in dangerous behaviors.

Choice B rationale: “Have you taken your medication today?” While medication adherence is important in managing schizophrenia, this response does not address the client’s immediate concern about hearing voices. It may also come across as dismissive of the client’s experience.

Choice C rationale: “I realize the voices are real to you, but I don’t hear anything.” This response validates the client’s experience, but it does not gather further information about what the voices are saying, which is crucial for assessing safety.

Choice D rationale: “How long have you been hearing the voices?” While this question is relevant for understanding the client’s history and the progression of their illness, it is not the priority response. The immediate concern should be what the voices are saying to assess for potential harm.

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy: This procedure is often indicated for patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of gastrointestinal bleeding, such as dark, tarry stools (melena), which can indicate bleeding in the upper GI tract.

Dark tarry stool: This finding suggests the presence of digested blood, which typically originates from the upper GI tract. This symptom, along with a history of abdominal pain that worsens after eating, indicates a potential peptic ulcer or other upper GI pathology.