A nurse is educating a patient diagnosed with cholelithiasis about the upcoming oral cholangiogram.
Which statement by the patient indicates that the education was effective?

Choice A rationale

The task of recording strict nutritional content is within the scope of practice for an assistive personnel (AP). The AP can keep track of the client’s food and fluid intake and report this information to the nurse. This is important in this case as the client has not been eating and the provider has prescribed a regular tray with finger foods at each meal. The nurse can then use this information to assess the client’s nutritional status and make necessary adjustments to the care plan.

Choice B rationale

Administering medication, such as memantine, is not within the scope of practice for an AP. This task requires knowledge and skills related to pharmacology, assessment, and evaluation that are beyond the training of an AP. Therefore, this task should be performed by a licensed nurse.

Choice C rationale

Performing neurological checks is also not within the scope of practice for an AP. These checks involve assessing the client’s level of consciousness, orientation, and neurological function, which require advanced assessment skills. Therefore, this task should be performed by a licensed nurse.

Choice D rationale

Continuing the bowel training program could potentially be within the scope of practice for an AP, depending on the specific tasks involved. However, in this case, the family member has reported that the client is having more difficulty staying focused, which suggests that the bowel training program may need to be adjusted. This requires nursing judgment and therefore should be performed by a licensed nurse.

Choice A rationale

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a condition that can occur in newborns, especially those born to mothers with gestational diabetes. However, there is no information in the question indicating that the mother had gestational diabetes. Therefore, while hypoglycemia is a possible complication for newborns, it is not the most likely complication in this case based on the information provided.

Choice B rationale

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a group of problems that occur in a newborn who was exposed to addictive opiate drugs while in the mother’s womb. NAS can occur when a pregnant woman takes drugs such as heroin, codeine, oxycodone (Oxycontin), methadone, or buprenorphine. These and other substances pass through the placenta that connects the baby to its mother in the womb and can cause the baby to become dependent on the drug. In this case, the mother’s urine toxicology screen was positive for cocaine and marijuana, both of which are illicit drugs. This puts the newborn at risk for developing NAS2.

Choice C rationale

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a breathing disorder that affects newborns. RDS is more common in premature babies because their lungs aren’t fully developed. However, the newborn in the question was born at 38 weeks gestation, which is considered full term. Therefore, while RDS is a possible complication for newborns, it is not the most likely complication in this case based on the information provided.

Choice D rationale

Neonatal jaundice is a condition that can occur in newborns due to high levels of bilirubin, a yellow pigment produced during normal breakdown of red blood cells. In older babies and adults, the liver processes bilirubin, which then passes from the body through the stool and urine. However, a newborn’s still-developing liver may not be mature enough to remove this bilirubin. While neonatal jaundice is a common condition, there is no information in the question indicating that the newborn is at risk for developing this complication.