A nurse is collecting data from a client who is African-American. Which of the following areas should the nurse check to determine the presence of pallor?

The correct answer is choice D. Provide regular oral care for the client with a moist swab. When a client with a terminal illness and in the active phase of dying refuses further hydration and nourishment, the nurse should provide comfort measures such as regular oral care to prevent discomfort. The nurse should not force the client to eat or drink or request a prescription for IV fluids. The healthcare surrogate cannot be asked for permission to withhold nourishment as the client has the right to refuse nourishment.

Option A - The client has the right to refuse nourishment, and healthcare surrogate permission is not required.

Option B - Requesting a prescription for IV fluids is not an appropriate intervention as the client has the right to refuse nourishment.

Option C - Explaining the importance of oral hydration to the client is not an appropriate intervention as the client has the right to refuse nourishment.

Elevate the head of the client's bed for 1 hr after the feeding. This is because elevating the head of the client's bed to at least 30 degrees can help prevent aspiration and gastric reflux.

Choice B is incorrect because administering the feeding solution at a cold temperature can cause discomfort and diarrhea.

Choice C is incorrect because rotating the jejunostomy tube once per day can cause irritation and trauma to the stoma site.

Choice D is incorrect because flushing the tube with 90 mL of sterile water before and after the feeding is not necessary as long as the tube is adequately flushed before and after each feeding.

The explanation for why the other choices are not answered: B – Administering the feeding solution at a cold temperature can cause discomfort and diarrhea, so it should not be done. C – Rotating the jejunostomy tube once per day can cause irritation and trauma to the stoma site, so this is not the correct action. D – Flushing the tube with 90 mL of sterile water before and after the feeding is unnecessary to do as long as the tube is adequately flushed before and after each feeding. Thus, this is not the correct answer.