A nurse is preparing to obtain a blood specimen from a preschooler. Which of the following actions should the nurse perform?

Rationale:

A. The person holding financial power of attorney will make health care decisions based on the client's advance directives: A financial power of attorney manages financial matters, not health care decisions. A separate designation such as a health care proxy or medical power of attorney is needed for making medical decisions.

B. The client has the right to refuse medical treatment, even if health care providers recommend it: Under the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA), clients have the legal right to make autonomous decisions about their care, including the right to refuse or discontinue treatment, regardless of medical advice.

C. The client's eldest adult child has the right to change advance directives in an end-of-life situation: Advance directives reflect the client’s own decisions. No family member, regardless of birth order, has the legal authority to change them unless specifically authorized as a health care proxy and even then, only if the client is incapacitated.

D. If the client's advance directives are in writing and notarized, the client cannot change it in the future: Clients can revise or revoke advance directives at any time, as long as they remain mentally competent. Notarization does not make the document legally fixed or unchangeable.

Rationale:

A. Instruct the parent to give 5 mcg of vitamin D daily: While vitamin D supplementation is recommended for breastfed infants, this advice does not address the inappropriate introduction of cow’s milk, which can cause complications such as intestinal bleeding and iron deficiency in infants under 12 months.

B. Instruct the parent to give the infant water every 3 hr between feedings: Offering water to infants under 6 months is discouraged, as it can displace essential nutrients from breast milk or formula and increase the risk of water intoxication due to immature kidneys.

C. Advise the parent to avoid giving cow's milk to the infant prior to 1 year of age: Cow's milk is not suitable for infants under 12 months because it lacks adequate iron and nutrients, and its high protein content can irritate the immature kidneys and intestinal lining.

D. Recommend the parent mix the milk with rice cereal for feedings: Mixing cow’s milk with cereal does not resolve its nutritional inadequacy or potential risks. Introducing solids and allergenic foods should follow developmental readiness and established pediatric guidelines.