A nurse is collecting data about a client's gastrointestinal system. While auscultating the abdomen, the nurse notes loud growling sounds. When documenting these findings, the nurse should use which of the following terms?

A. Have the client perform heel-to-toe walking: Heel-to-toe walking (tandem gait) assesses balance and coordination by challenging the client’s ability to maintain stability during a narrow base of support. Difficulty with this test can indicate problems with cerebellar function or proprioception, which are essential for balance.

B. Perform Weber’s test: Weber’s test evaluates hearing by assessing bone conduction and is not related to balance assessment. It helps differentiate between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss but does not provide information about vestibular function.

C. Check for a positive Babinski reflex: Babinski reflex testing assesses neurological function of the corticospinal tract but does not evaluate balance. A positive Babinski indicates upper motor neuron damage but is unrelated to equilibrium or postural control.

D. Perform the Romberg test: The Romberg test evaluates proprioception and balance by assessing the client’s ability to maintain standing posture with eyes closed. A positive Romberg sign suggests impaired proprioception or vestibular dysfunction affecting balance.

E. Have the client lie in bed and use his heel to draw a line on the opposite shin: This test evaluates coordination and proprioception, important components of balance, by assessing precise lower limb control. Difficulty performing this task may indicate issues with neuromuscular control or proprioception.

A. Leave the needle in place for 10 seconds after the injection: Leaving the needle in place for approximately 10 seconds after administering a subcutaneous injection helps ensure full delivery of the medication and reduces the chance of medication leakage at the injection site.

B. Use a 5-inch needle for the injection: A 5-inch needle is excessively long for subcutaneous injections and would likely penetrate muscle tissue, increasing the risk of injury or incorrect medication administration. Subcutaneous injections typically require a needle length between ⅜ and ⅝ inch.

C. Inject the medication using the Z-track technique: The Z-track technique is used for intramuscular injections to minimize medication leakage and reduce irritation. It is not appropriate for subcutaneous injections, which are administered into the fatty layer beneath the skin, not deep muscle tissue.

D. Insert the syringe at a 15° angle during injection: A 15° angle is used for intradermal injections. Subcutaneous injections should be administered at a 45° to 90° angle depending on the client’s body mass to ensure the medication is delivered into the subcutaneous tissue, not the dermis or muscle.